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| Britain Urges Support for ‘Moderate’ Opposition in Syria | Britain Urges Support for ‘Moderate’ Opposition in Syria |
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| LONDON — As Western and Arab powers met here to pursue a settlement in Syria, Foreign Secretary William Hague of Britain renewed calls for outsiders to back moderates within the fractured opposition to President Bashar al-Assad against Islamist rivals, urging them to attend peace talks that may be held in Geneva next month. | |
| Mr. Hague was speaking in a BBC radio interview as Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in London from Paris to meet with the exiled leader of the political wing of the opposition, Ahmad al-Jarba, and join the so-called “London 11” foreign ministers seeking to persuade Mr. Assad’s opponents to attend political negotiations. | Mr. Hague was speaking in a BBC radio interview as Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in London from Paris to meet with the exiled leader of the political wing of the opposition, Ahmad al-Jarba, and join the so-called “London 11” foreign ministers seeking to persuade Mr. Assad’s opponents to attend political negotiations. |
| “There is a lot going on, as you know better than anybody,” Mr. Kerry said at the start of the 45-minute meeting with Mr. Jarba, which was held at the American ambassador’s residence. “We have a lot to discuss.” | |
| The moderate Syrian opposition has been struggling with a variety of problems. The credibility of its leaders, who mainly live in exile in Turkey, has been under challenge. Last month, a number of rebel commanders signed a statement in which they broke with the opposition’s leadership and called for rebel groups to unify “in a clear Islamic frame.” | The moderate Syrian opposition has been struggling with a variety of problems. The credibility of its leaders, who mainly live in exile in Turkey, has been under challenge. Last month, a number of rebel commanders signed a statement in which they broke with the opposition’s leadership and called for rebel groups to unify “in a clear Islamic frame.” |
| At the same time, the covert American program to arm and train the military wing of opposition has proceeded slowly. Fighters from the moderate opposition have also found themselves battling on two fronts as they struggled against the Assad government while also contending with extremists from the Al Qaeda affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. | At the same time, the covert American program to arm and train the military wing of opposition has proceeded slowly. Fighters from the moderate opposition have also found themselves battling on two fronts as they struggled against the Assad government while also contending with extremists from the Al Qaeda affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. |
| In the radio interview, Mr. Hague acknowledged that Islamists were playing an increasingly influential role in the war. | In the radio interview, Mr. Hague acknowledged that Islamists were playing an increasingly influential role in the war. |
| “The reason we have to make sure we are supporting and dealing with the moderate opposition committed to a democratic, pluralistic, nonsectarian future for Syria is precisely because if they don’t have a role, then all the Syrian people have got left is a choice between Assad and extremists,” Mr. Hague said. | “The reason we have to make sure we are supporting and dealing with the moderate opposition committed to a democratic, pluralistic, nonsectarian future for Syria is precisely because if they don’t have a role, then all the Syrian people have got left is a choice between Assad and extremists,” Mr. Hague said. |
| “Syrians on all sides now need to make the effort and make the compromises necessary for a peace process to work,” he said. | “Syrians on all sides now need to make the effort and make the compromises necessary for a peace process to work,” he said. |
| “The longer this conflict goes on, the more sectarian it becomes. That’s why we’re making a renewed effort” to call peace talks — known in diplomatic shorthand as Geneva II. Western powers want the talks to establish a transitional government of Syrians excluding Mr. Assad. | “The longer this conflict goes on, the more sectarian it becomes. That’s why we’re making a renewed effort” to call peace talks — known in diplomatic shorthand as Geneva II. Western powers want the talks to establish a transitional government of Syrians excluding Mr. Assad. |
| Mr. Hague also suggested that Iran, Mr. Assad’s main regional ally, could attend the planned Geneva talks if it adopted what he called “a more constructive role.” | Mr. Hague also suggested that Iran, Mr. Assad’s main regional ally, could attend the planned Geneva talks if it adopted what he called “a more constructive role.” |
| “If they are serious, of course, it is helpful to have all outside powers involved in this, but that depends on them coming on a common basis of trying to achieve a peaceful settlement on the basis of a transitional government in Syria,” he said. “That’s the position of Russia and it’s the position of all of us among the West and among Arab nations. It should be the position of Iran itself.” | “If they are serious, of course, it is helpful to have all outside powers involved in this, but that depends on them coming on a common basis of trying to achieve a peaceful settlement on the basis of a transitional government in Syria,” he said. “That’s the position of Russia and it’s the position of all of us among the West and among Arab nations. It should be the position of Iran itself.” |
| After a war lasting over 30 months that has claimed more than 100,000 lives, Mr. Assad has given no indication that he is prepared to yield power, telling a Lebanese television station that he saw no objection to seeking re-election next year. | After a war lasting over 30 months that has claimed more than 100,000 lives, Mr. Assad has given no indication that he is prepared to yield power, telling a Lebanese television station that he saw no objection to seeking re-election next year. |
| The London talks group representatives of Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. | The London talks group representatives of Britain, Egypt, France, Germany, Jordan, Italy, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. |