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| Syria Talks Open in Switzerland | Syria Talks Open in Switzerland |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| MONTREUX, Switzerland — After months of diplomatic maneuvering and last-minute slips, delegates gathered on Wednesday in this lakeside Swiss city to press for a settlement in Syria’s bloody civil war. | MONTREUX, Switzerland — After months of diplomatic maneuvering and last-minute slips, delegates gathered on Wednesday in this lakeside Swiss city to press for a settlement in Syria’s bloody civil war. |
| “We see only one option, negotiating a transition government born by mutual consent,” United States Secretary of State John Kerry said. | |
| “That means that Bashar al-Assad will not be part of that transition government,” he said, referring to the Syrian president, who is represented at the talks by senior officials. Even before the conference started, Syrian officials made clear that their leader’s future status was part of a “red line” of issues that could not be discussed here. | |
| For the first time in such a forum, the delegations included representatives of President Bashar al-Assad’s government and his exiled political opponents, along with other key players, including the United States, Russia and the United Nations. | |
| “We know that it has been an extremely difficult path to reach this point,” Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general said in opening remarks at the luxury hotel where the conference is being held to try to bridge the enormous gulf between the combatants and between their outside backers. | “We know that it has been an extremely difficult path to reach this point,” Ban Ki-moon, the United Nations secretary general said in opening remarks at the luxury hotel where the conference is being held to try to bridge the enormous gulf between the combatants and between their outside backers. |
| “We have lost valuable time and many, many lives. Let me not mince words, the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. Nevertheless, your presence here raises hope,” Mr. Ban said. | “We have lost valuable time and many, many lives. Let me not mince words, the challenges before you and before all of us are formidable. Nevertheless, your presence here raises hope,” Mr. Ban said. |
| Even before the talks began, one key player excluded from the talks — Iran — signaled profound pessimism, with President Hassan Rouhani telling an Iranian news agency that “we cannot have much hope” of a solution. Iran is Mr. Assad’s main regional backer. | Even before the talks began, one key player excluded from the talks — Iran — signaled profound pessimism, with President Hassan Rouhani telling an Iranian news agency that “we cannot have much hope” of a solution. Iran is Mr. Assad’s main regional backer. |
| “We also don’t have much hope that this conference will be efficient in establishing stability since some supporters of the terrorists are participating in it,” he told Mehr news agency, referring to opponents of President Assad. | “We also don’t have much hope that this conference will be efficient in establishing stability since some supporters of the terrorists are participating in it,” he told Mehr news agency, referring to opponents of President Assad. |
| Foreign Secretary William Hague of Britain suggested that the onus was on Damascus to show readiness for peace. | Foreign Secretary William Hague of Britain suggested that the onus was on Damascus to show readiness for peace. |
| “Opposition has been tested and has come. Now regime must be tested on willingness to seek a political solution,” he said on Twitter after arriving in Montreux. | “Opposition has been tested and has come. Now regime must be tested on willingness to seek a political solution,” he said on Twitter after arriving in Montreux. |
| “Both sides should seize chance to end the war,” he said. | “Both sides should seize chance to end the war,” he said. |
| The international sponsors of the conference say its aim should be to create “by mutual consent” a transitional authority in Syria. | The international sponsors of the conference say its aim should be to create “by mutual consent” a transitional authority in Syria. |
| But the Syrian authorities have already signaled the limits to what they are prepared to discuss. Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday and announced, according to Syria’s state news agency, that “the presidency and the regime are ‘red lines for us and for the Syrian people.’ ” | But the Syrian authorities have already signaled the limits to what they are prepared to discuss. Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday and announced, according to Syria’s state news agency, that “the presidency and the regime are ‘red lines for us and for the Syrian people.’ ” |