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Syrian Opposition’s Calm at Talks Surprises as Officials Falter Syrian Opposition’s Calm at Talks Surprises as Officials Falter
(7 months later)
GENEVA — The Syrian government officials were expected to present themselves as the grown-ups at the peace conference here, representatives of a capable, sovereign government facing opponents they call political amateurs at best, and at worst, terrorist rabble. GENEVA — The Syrian government officials were expected to present themselves as the grown-ups at the peace conference here, representatives of a capable, sovereign government facing opponents they call political amateurs at best, and at worst, terrorist rabble.
But that was not how it went.But that was not how it went.
The Syrian officials took offense easily. They berated fellow Syrians, foreign reporters and the head of the United Nations. They sent mixed messages, alternately ranting and cajoling. They ignored the meeting agenda, and even the time limits for speeches, by some accounts embarrassing their Russian allies. It was the kind of performance that diplomats had come to expect from the fractious exiles in the Syrian opposition.The Syrian officials took offense easily. They berated fellow Syrians, foreign reporters and the head of the United Nations. They sent mixed messages, alternately ranting and cajoling. They ignored the meeting agenda, and even the time limits for speeches, by some accounts embarrassing their Russian allies. It was the kind of performance that diplomats had come to expect from the fractious exiles in the Syrian opposition.
Instead, it was the opposition’s coalition that came across as relatively cool and professional, remaining calm and cordial even when provoked by the other side.Instead, it was the opposition’s coalition that came across as relatively cool and professional, remaining calm and cordial even when provoked by the other side.
It was a turnabout that has the exile opposition coalition and its Western backers declaring an early, if modest, victory on the global stage, even as government delegates contend that their defiance was deliberate, a successful counterstrike at a “campaign of lies” against Syria and its president, Bashar al-Assad.It was a turnabout that has the exile opposition coalition and its Western backers declaring an early, if modest, victory on the global stage, even as government delegates contend that their defiance was deliberate, a successful counterstrike at a “campaign of lies” against Syria and its president, Bashar al-Assad.
Exile leaders believe they gained a measure of much-needed credibility at home and abroad, as they stuck to core messages: pushing for “genuine” democracy and pluralism, as stipulated in the meeting protocols, denouncing terrorism and holding the government accountable for repression.Exile leaders believe they gained a measure of much-needed credibility at home and abroad, as they stuck to core messages: pushing for “genuine” democracy and pluralism, as stipulated in the meeting protocols, denouncing terrorism and holding the government accountable for repression.
“We surprised ourselves,” Oubai Shahbandar, a Syrian-American consultant to the coalition, said Tuesday.“We surprised ourselves,” Oubai Shahbandar, a Syrian-American consultant to the coalition, said Tuesday.
The coalition now hopes to capitalize on what it reads as signs of displeasure with the government from its strongest backer, Russia, as the coalition president flies to Moscow next week with pledges of continued friendship in a post-Assad Syria.The coalition now hopes to capitalize on what it reads as signs of displeasure with the government from its strongest backer, Russia, as the coalition president flies to Moscow next week with pledges of continued friendship in a post-Assad Syria.
Numerous Western diplomats and opposition delegates said that during the opening speeches last week in Montreux, Switzerland, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, sat with a pained expression and even tapped his watch as Syria’s foreign minister spoke and sparred with the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon.Numerous Western diplomats and opposition delegates said that during the opening speeches last week in Montreux, Switzerland, Russia’s foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, sat with a pained expression and even tapped his watch as Syria’s foreign minister spoke and sparred with the United Nations secretary general, Ban Ki-moon.
“We were embarrassed,” said a Russian Foreign Ministry representative who was there. But she played down the significance of the watch tap, saying that perhaps all the Syrians should have had more time to speak.“We were embarrassed,” said a Russian Foreign Ministry representative who was there. But she played down the significance of the watch tap, saying that perhaps all the Syrians should have had more time to speak.
Russian officials have long said they are not committed to Mr. Assad personally, but see no alternative that could stabilize Syria. Courting Russia represents a shift toward pragmatism for coalition members, who sometimes equate the country with Mr. Assad.Russian officials have long said they are not committed to Mr. Assad personally, but see no alternative that could stabilize Syria. Courting Russia represents a shift toward pragmatism for coalition members, who sometimes equate the country with Mr. Assad.
Syria’s information minister, Omran al-Zoubi, dismissed the notion of tension with Russia, saying, “Our Russian brothers don’t sell out their brothers.”Syria’s information minister, Omran al-Zoubi, dismissed the notion of tension with Russia, saying, “Our Russian brothers don’t sell out their brothers.”
A more immediate goal for the coalition is to increase support within the broader opposition. Some longtime critics of the group say that with Geneva it has begun, in small ways, to repair its image inside Syria as a hapless, hotel-hopping “five-star opposition” that does not represent the people fighting or suffering on the ground.A more immediate goal for the coalition is to increase support within the broader opposition. Some longtime critics of the group say that with Geneva it has begun, in small ways, to repair its image inside Syria as a hapless, hotel-hopping “five-star opposition” that does not represent the people fighting or suffering on the ground.
“The coalition was able to counter that perception because of their strong stance opposite the weak and sometimes incoherent regime delegation,” said Amal Hanano, a Syrian-American writer who uses a pseudonym to protect family members in Aleppo. “The regime delegation seems unorganized and fractured when that was what people expected from the coalition.”“The coalition was able to counter that perception because of their strong stance opposite the weak and sometimes incoherent regime delegation,” said Amal Hanano, a Syrian-American writer who uses a pseudonym to protect family members in Aleppo. “The regime delegation seems unorganized and fractured when that was what people expected from the coalition.”
The government delegation included the Syrian officials most practiced in presenting a smooth and reasonable face to outsiders: the foreign minister, his deputy and the United Nations ambassador, among others.The government delegation included the Syrian officials most practiced in presenting a smooth and reasonable face to outsiders: the foreign minister, his deputy and the United Nations ambassador, among others.
Yet they seemed uncharacteristically brittle, bristling at small slights, such as when journalists failed to use the honorific “President Assad.” Their attendants were publicly rough with opposition activists. One official mocked a Japanese reporter, suggesting that Japan’s distance from Syria made him ignorant of the war — a curious assertion, given that Japanese journalists have died covering it.Yet they seemed uncharacteristically brittle, bristling at small slights, such as when journalists failed to use the honorific “President Assad.” Their attendants were publicly rough with opposition activists. One official mocked a Japanese reporter, suggesting that Japan’s distance from Syria made him ignorant of the war — a curious assertion, given that Japanese journalists have died covering it.
Foreign Ministry delegates pledged to discuss a transitional government, only to be contradicted by Mr. Assad’s advisers. Some of the officials’ statements — claiming no knowledge of thousands of prisoners on an opposition list, saying that “terrorists” had carried out all the destruction in Homs, a city that has been bombarded by government airstrikes for two years — were, as Western diplomats put it, more “North Korea” than had been expected at a peace conference, even a largely notional one.Foreign Ministry delegates pledged to discuss a transitional government, only to be contradicted by Mr. Assad’s advisers. Some of the officials’ statements — claiming no knowledge of thousands of prisoners on an opposition list, saying that “terrorists” had carried out all the destruction in Homs, a city that has been bombarded by government airstrikes for two years — were, as Western diplomats put it, more “North Korea” than had been expected at a peace conference, even a largely notional one.
The reason, diplomats speculated, was that officials were under scrutiny from hard-liners in Damascus and feared retribution should a too-conciliatory phrase slip. It is also possible they assumed the conference would never happen, the Western diplomat said, counting on the opposition to boycott.The reason, diplomats speculated, was that officials were under scrutiny from hard-liners in Damascus and feared retribution should a too-conciliatory phrase slip. It is also possible they assumed the conference would never happen, the Western diplomat said, counting on the opposition to boycott.
Still, the diplomat said, people familiar with feedback from Damascus reported that Mr. Assad was happy with the delegates’ performance, which was most likely their main concern.Still, the diplomat said, people familiar with feedback from Damascus reported that Mr. Assad was happy with the delegates’ performance, which was most likely their main concern.
Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, delivered his tough opening speech exactly as intended, said his deputy, Fayssal Mekdad.Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, delivered his tough opening speech exactly as intended, said his deputy, Fayssal Mekdad.
He called it “our first chance to inform everybody of our viewpoint,” and to counter “fabrications” that he blamed for the view that the war started with government repression of popular protests.He called it “our first chance to inform everybody of our viewpoint,” and to counter “fabrications” that he blamed for the view that the war started with government repression of popular protests.
Writ large, the main and perhaps only achievement of the meetings — scheduled to continue until Friday, then break for a week — may be that the two sides are sitting together, giving each other a measure of international recognition and legitimacy. That leaves each side believing it scored points with its base.Writ large, the main and perhaps only achievement of the meetings — scheduled to continue until Friday, then break for a week — may be that the two sides are sitting together, giving each other a measure of international recognition and legitimacy. That leaves each side believing it scored points with its base.
“For the first time, the regime had to sit down and hear the demands of the people,” said Rafif Jouejati, a coalition spokeswoman.“For the first time, the regime had to sit down and hear the demands of the people,” said Rafif Jouejati, a coalition spokeswoman.
One government strategy seemed to be working: agreeing in principle and stalling on specifics, while using military pressure to gain on the ground. Mohammad Ballout, a diplomatic analyst at the Lebanese newspaper Al Safir, said that while the talks sputtered along, the government was pushing intently in Syria for local truces on advantageous terms in blockaded areas, and calming the conflict on its terms without dealing with the coalition.One government strategy seemed to be working: agreeing in principle and stalling on specifics, while using military pressure to gain on the ground. Mohammad Ballout, a diplomatic analyst at the Lebanese newspaper Al Safir, said that while the talks sputtered along, the government was pushing intently in Syria for local truces on advantageous terms in blockaded areas, and calming the conflict on its terms without dealing with the coalition.
The government also gained some support for its argument that its opponents are Western puppets; opposition delegates met daily with Western diplomats and, Mr. Zoubi said, submitted documents in English, not Arabic.The government also gained some support for its argument that its opponents are Western puppets; opposition delegates met daily with Western diplomats and, Mr. Zoubi said, submitted documents in English, not Arabic.
But those meetings, where diplomats and a new team of British and American public relations consultants coached opposition members not to rise to the government’s bait, seemed fruitful.But those meetings, where diplomats and a new team of British and American public relations consultants coached opposition members not to rise to the government’s bait, seemed fruitful.
Louay Safi, an opposition spokesman, was tested when a representative of the state-run SANA news agency asserted that in a government-blockaded area “there are no civilians, only terrorists,” and asked if efforts to get food there aimed to “save the terrorists.”Louay Safi, an opposition spokesman, was tested when a representative of the state-run SANA news agency asserted that in a government-blockaded area “there are no civilians, only terrorists,” and asked if efforts to get food there aimed to “save the terrorists.”
“Two good questions, and I thank you for them,” Mr. Safi said, before calmly answering.“Two good questions, and I thank you for them,” Mr. Safi said, before calmly answering.