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| Syria talks begin in rancor; foreign minister lashes out at Kerry, U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| MONTREUX, Switzerland — Syria’s government set a bitter tone on Wednesday at the opening of talks meant to end the country’s long and bloody civil war, accusing Arab neighbors of sowing terrorism and insurrection while dismissing as “interlopers” the United States and other Western backers of Syrian rebels. | |
| Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem told foreign ministers who had gathered for the long-delayed peace talks that their nations could best help the situation by ending what he called the funding of terrorism and extremism in Syria — or by leaving the Damascus government alone. | |
| “We have come here to put an end to terrorism and its bitter consequences,” Moualem said, referring to the rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “Diplomacy and terrorism cannot go in parallel. Diplomacy must succeed by fighting terrorism.” | “We have come here to put an end to terrorism and its bitter consequences,” Moualem said, referring to the rebels fighting to unseat Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. “Diplomacy and terrorism cannot go in parallel. Diplomacy must succeed by fighting terrorism.” |
| Diplomats from more than 30 nations have gathered here to begin what could be the first extended talks between the Assad government and opposition forces. Expectations are low for either a swift end to the military deadlock or an end to the Assad family’s decades of rule. | Diplomats from more than 30 nations have gathered here to begin what could be the first extended talks between the Assad government and opposition forces. Expectations are low for either a swift end to the military deadlock or an end to the Assad family’s decades of rule. |
| The one-day peace conference on Wednesday is more style than substance, an opportunity for the world to show that it is taking action on Syria after nearly three years of bloodshed. Many of the nations attending are backing the rebels in the conflict, sending arms, money or other help. Russia, an ally and military supplier for Assad, is a co-sponsor of the event, but Iran — Syrian’s staunchest military patron — was excluded. | The one-day peace conference on Wednesday is more style than substance, an opportunity for the world to show that it is taking action on Syria after nearly three years of bloodshed. Many of the nations attending are backing the rebels in the conflict, sending arms, money or other help. Russia, an ally and military supplier for Assad, is a co-sponsor of the event, but Iran — Syrian’s staunchest military patron — was excluded. |
| The real work will begin in Geneva on Friday, when it is hoped that the Syrian government and opposition groups will hold face-to-face talks, in the presence of mediators from the United Nations. | The real work will begin in Geneva on Friday, when it is hoped that the Syrian government and opposition groups will hold face-to-face talks, in the presence of mediators from the United Nations. |
| Syria’s government agreed to attend the talks but has rejected the premise that the goal of diplomacy is a temporary government to replace Assad. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also denied that the automatic goal of the session was to replace Assad. | Syria’s government agreed to attend the talks but has rejected the premise that the goal of diplomacy is a temporary government to replace Assad. On Wednesday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also denied that the automatic goal of the session was to replace Assad. |
| Lavrov urged delegates not to “predetermine the outcome.” | Lavrov urged delegates not to “predetermine the outcome.” |
| But Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who has called the Syrian president a killer unworthy of his office, reiterated the U.S. position that the only solution for ending the war is a new government that does not include Assad. | But Secretary of State John F. Kerry, who has called the Syrian president a killer unworthy of his office, reiterated the U.S. position that the only solution for ending the war is a new government that does not include Assad. |
| “We need to deal with reality here,” Kerry said. “Bashar Assad will not be part of that transition government.” | “We need to deal with reality here,” Kerry said. “Bashar Assad will not be part of that transition government.” |
| When it was his turn to speak, Moualem rebuked the chief U.S. diplomat directly. | When it was his turn to speak, Moualem rebuked the chief U.S. diplomat directly. |
| “No one, Mr. Kerry, in the world has the right to give legitimacy or to withdraw legitimacy from a president, a government, a constitution or a law or anything in Syria, except Syrians” themselves, he said. | “No one, Mr. Kerry, in the world has the right to give legitimacy or to withdraw legitimacy from a president, a government, a constitution or a law or anything in Syria, except Syrians” themselves, he said. |
| Moualem spoke in Arabic, through an interpreter, but switched to English to argue with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the conference host. Ban had interrupted Moualem to remind him that he had run well over his allotted eight minutes at the microphone. | Moualem spoke in Arabic, through an interpreter, but switched to English to argue with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the conference host. Ban had interrupted Moualem to remind him that he had run well over his allotted eight minutes at the microphone. |
| “You live in New York, I live in Syria,” Moualem told Ban bitterly. “You can’t keep the Syrian version hidden from this forum.” | “You live in New York, I live in Syria,” Moualem told Ban bitterly. “You can’t keep the Syrian version hidden from this forum.” |
| Rifts exposed by a dispute over whether to include Iran in the international peace conference have overshadowed the long-delayed session. | Rifts exposed by a dispute over whether to include Iran in the international peace conference have overshadowed the long-delayed session. |
| The furor that erupted over the invitation to Iran extended by Ban has come as a reminder that even the world powers sponsoring the event don’t agree on what it is about or what it is supposed to achieve. | The furor that erupted over the invitation to Iran extended by Ban has come as a reminder that even the world powers sponsoring the event don’t agree on what it is about or what it is supposed to achieve. |
| Iran blamed the United States for the retraction of its invitation, saying it proved that the United Nations is still dominated by big powers — a reminder of the deep strains that still underlie Tehran’s relationship with Washington, despite recent progress on an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program. | Iran blamed the United States for the retraction of its invitation, saying it proved that the United Nations is still dominated by big powers — a reminder of the deep strains that still underlie Tehran’s relationship with Washington, despite recent progress on an agreement to curb Iran’s nuclear program. |
| Few expect concrete results from this round of diplomacy, widely referred to as “Geneva 2” because it is taking place under the terms of a 2012 Russian-U.S. blueprint for ending the crisis known as “Geneva 1.” | Few expect concrete results from this round of diplomacy, widely referred to as “Geneva 2” because it is taking place under the terms of a 2012 Russian-U.S. blueprint for ending the crisis known as “Geneva 1.” |
| “Everyone knows that the most likely outcome of Geneva 2 is Geneva 3, Geneva 4 and so on,” said Salem Zahran, a journalist and analyst who is close to several figures in the Assad regime. | “Everyone knows that the most likely outcome of Geneva 2 is Geneva 3, Geneva 4 and so on,” said Salem Zahran, a journalist and analyst who is close to several figures in the Assad regime. |
| Assad, buoyed by months of small but steady military gains against the rebels, has made it clear that he regards the conference as an opportunity to affirm his hold on power in the name of fighting terrorism. | Assad, buoyed by months of small but steady military gains against the rebels, has made it clear that he regards the conference as an opportunity to affirm his hold on power in the name of fighting terrorism. |
| Moualem argued to the delegates that al-Qaeda-linked militants have steadily gained ascendancy in the rebel-held north of the country. He said fighters have come from more than 80 nations, and disputed the characterization of the war by outside backers as a "revolution." | Moualem argued to the delegates that al-Qaeda-linked militants have steadily gained ascendancy in the rebel-held north of the country. He said fighters have come from more than 80 nations, and disputed the characterization of the war by outside backers as a "revolution." |
| A shadow delegation of Syrian military and security officials is bringing dossiers of information on wanted al-Qaeda terrorists tot he conference in a further bid to lure the West into reorienting its support away from the opposition and toward the regime, one of those people said. | A shadow delegation of Syrian military and security officials is bringing dossiers of information on wanted al-Qaeda terrorists tot he conference in a further bid to lure the West into reorienting its support away from the opposition and toward the regime, one of those people said. |
| Assad’s opponents, however, agreed to participate in the conference only on the condition that Assad’s removal is the main goal of the event. | Assad’s opponents, however, agreed to participate in the conference only on the condition that Assad’s removal is the main goal of the event. |
| Their cause was bolstered this week by the disarray over the invitation to Iran, which exposed international divisions over Syria that are almost as pronounced as those within the war-ravaged country. | Their cause was bolstered this week by the disarray over the invitation to Iran, which exposed international divisions over Syria that are almost as pronounced as those within the war-ravaged country. |
| U.S. support for the Syrian opposition’s insistence that Iran should not attend offered some vindication to those parties, which had been deeply divided over whether to attend at all. Opposition groups had threatened to withdraw from the talks unless the invitation was rescinded, opposition supporters and diplomats said. | U.S. support for the Syrian opposition’s insistence that Iran should not attend offered some vindication to those parties, which had been deeply divided over whether to attend at all. Opposition groups had threatened to withdraw from the talks unless the invitation was rescinded, opposition supporters and diplomats said. |
| The withdrawal of the invitation enabled the opposition to demonstrate to doubters that it does have assurances from its allies that the conference represents a serious effort to discuss ways to replace Assad. | The withdrawal of the invitation enabled the opposition to demonstrate to doubters that it does have assurances from its allies that the conference represents a serious effort to discuss ways to replace Assad. |
| “It gave them a small victory,” a Western diplomat said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to talk more candidly. | “It gave them a small victory,” a Western diplomat said, speaking on the condition of anonymity in order to talk more candidly. |
| Diplomats and U.S. officials have cautioned that breakthroughs are unlikely. Rather, they say, efforts will focus on an attempt to forge confidence-building measures such as local cease-fires and efforts to deliver humanitarian aid that might help build wider support for a peace process ahead of future talks. | Diplomats and U.S. officials have cautioned that breakthroughs are unlikely. Rather, they say, efforts will focus on an attempt to forge confidence-building measures such as local cease-fires and efforts to deliver humanitarian aid that might help build wider support for a peace process ahead of future talks. |
| Many ordinary Syrians expressed the hope that at least some sign will emerge of an end to the nightmare that Syria’s iteration of the Arab Spring has become. | Many ordinary Syrians expressed the hope that at least some sign will emerge of an end to the nightmare that Syria’s iteration of the Arab Spring has become. |
| “People just want it to end. They don’t care how,” said a Damascus resident interviewed while on a recent visit to Beirut. | “People just want it to end. They don’t care how,” said a Damascus resident interviewed while on a recent visit to Beirut. |
| Suzan Haidamous and Susannah George in Beirut contributed to this report. | Suzan Haidamous and Susannah George in Beirut contributed to this report. |