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| Syrian government agrees to attend Geneva conference, says ally Russia | Syrian government agrees to attend Geneva conference, says ally Russia |
| (4 months later) | |
| The Assad government has agreed to take part in next month's international conference in Geneva aimed at resolving Syria's civil war, according to ally Russia, as the Syrian opposition came under pressure to also commit to the initiative. | The Assad government has agreed to take part in next month's international conference in Geneva aimed at resolving Syria's civil war, according to ally Russia, as the Syrian opposition came under pressure to also commit to the initiative. |
| Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, said: "We note with satisfaction that we have received an agreement in principle from Damascus to attend the international conference in the interest of the Syrians themselves finding a political path to resolve the conflict." | Russia's foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, said: "We note with satisfaction that we have received an agreement in principle from Damascus to attend the international conference in the interest of the Syrians themselves finding a political path to resolve the conflict." |
| The Syrian government has yet to confirm that it would send a representative. Its deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, held "extensive negotiations" in Moscow this week about the conference, which was convened by Russia and the US. He described the meeting as positive but stopped short of announcing whether Damascus would take part. In his most recent interview, the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, insisted he would not negotiate with terrorists. | The Syrian government has yet to confirm that it would send a representative. Its deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad, held "extensive negotiations" in Moscow this week about the conference, which was convened by Russia and the US. He described the meeting as positive but stopped short of announcing whether Damascus would take part. In his most recent interview, the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, insisted he would not negotiate with terrorists. |
| The main sticking point remains Assad's future, an issue that was deliberately fudged at the first Geneva conference last June as a way of getting broad international backing for some sort of transition government in Syria. | The main sticking point remains Assad's future, an issue that was deliberately fudged at the first Geneva conference last June as a way of getting broad international backing for some sort of transition government in Syria. |
| The country's divided opposition group the Syrian National Coalition, is meeting in Istanbul where it is being urged to drop its insistence that Assad should agree to stand down as a precondition for taking part in any talks. | The country's divided opposition group the Syrian National Coalition, is meeting in Istanbul where it is being urged to drop its insistence that Assad should agree to stand down as a precondition for taking part in any talks. |
| Reza Afshar, head of the Syria team at the British Foreign Office, tweeted: "Syria opposition meeting now. Time to step up, make bold choices & commit to #Geneva." | Reza Afshar, head of the Syria team at the British Foreign Office, tweeted: "Syria opposition meeting now. Time to step up, make bold choices & commit to #Geneva." |
| Lukashevich accused the Syrian opposition of trying to undermine the Geneva conference. "We are again hearing about the precondition that Bashar al-Assad leaves power and that a government be formed under the auspices of the UN," he said. | Lukashevich accused the Syrian opposition of trying to undermine the Geneva conference. "We are again hearing about the precondition that Bashar al-Assad leaves power and that a government be formed under the auspices of the UN," he said. |
| He added that it was impossible to set the date for the conference at this point because there was "no clarity about who will speak on behalf of the opposition and what powers they will have". | He added that it was impossible to set the date for the conference at this point because there was "no clarity about who will speak on behalf of the opposition and what powers they will have". |
| Louay Safi, who has been touted as a possible new leader of the opposition coalition, said he supported the idea of talks but was wary. "Our fear is that the regime is not going to negotiate in good faith. We would like to hear enough [from Damascus] to know that they are serious about these negotiations," he said. | Louay Safi, who has been touted as a possible new leader of the opposition coalition, said he supported the idea of talks but was wary. "Our fear is that the regime is not going to negotiate in good faith. We would like to hear enough [from Damascus] to know that they are serious about these negotiations," he said. |
| Coalition spokesman Khaled Saleh said the 60-member body supports "any conference that helps transition the situation into an elective government away from the dictatorship" but would not attend without indications that Assad would step down. | Coalition spokesman Khaled Saleh said the 60-member body supports "any conference that helps transition the situation into an elective government away from the dictatorship" but would not attend without indications that Assad would step down. |
| On Thursday, the coalition's outgoing leader, Moaz al-Khatib, proposed a transition plan involving granting Assad and his inner circle safe passage to another country. But Khatib's colleagues, many of whom rejected his offer to hold talks with the Assad government earlier this year, have also criticised his latest initiative. | On Thursday, the coalition's outgoing leader, Moaz al-Khatib, proposed a transition plan involving granting Assad and his inner circle safe passage to another country. But Khatib's colleagues, many of whom rejected his offer to hold talks with the Assad government earlier this year, have also criticised his latest initiative. |
| One opposition official told Reuters that the plan was "heading directly for the dustbin of history". | One opposition official told Reuters that the plan was "heading directly for the dustbin of history". |
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