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Kerry Blames Syrian Government for Stalled Peace Talks Kerry Blames Syrian Government for Deadlocked Talks
(about 4 hours later)
JAKARTA, Indonesia — Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement on Sunday night that blamed the Syrian government for the deadlock in peace talks but asserted that the United States remained “committed to the Geneva process.”JAKARTA, Indonesia — Secretary of State John Kerry issued a statement on Sunday night that blamed the Syrian government for the deadlock in peace talks but asserted that the United States remained “committed to the Geneva process.”
Mr. Kerry’s statement followed two rounds of generally fruitless discussions during which the Syrian government continued its attacks on rebel-held areas with crude weapons known as barrel bombs, and as more than 200,000 Syrians remained cut off from humanitarian assistance.Mr. Kerry’s statement followed two rounds of generally fruitless discussions during which the Syrian government continued its attacks on rebel-held areas with crude weapons known as barrel bombs, and as more than 200,000 Syrians remained cut off from humanitarian assistance.
Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy to the negotiations, underscored the sense of frustration when he apologized to the Syrian people over the weekend and wondered aloud if there was even any point in continuing the talks. Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations special envoy to the negotiations, underscored the frustration when he apologized to the Syrian people over the weekend and questioned the value of continuing the talks.
The main aim of Mr. Kerry’s statement appeared to be to keep up the pressure on President Bashar al-Assad and to keep alive the hope that a political settlement might eventually be reached. He is scheduled to fly on Monday to the United Arab Emirates, which is among the Gulf counties that have supported the Syrian opposition. His statement may have been intended in part to set the tone for those deliberations. The main aim of Mr. Kerry’s statement appeared to be to pressure President Bashar al-Assad and to keep alive the hope that a political settlement might be reached in Syria. He is scheduled to fly on Monday to the United Arab Emirates, which is among the Gulf countries that have supported the rebels.
Mr. Kerry repeated previous American complaints that it was the Assad government that had blocked progress. “While it stalled in Geneva, the regime intensified its barbaric assault on its civilian population with barrel bombs and starvation,” he said. “It has even gone as far as to add some of the opposition delegates at Geneva to a terrorist list and seize their assets. This is reprehensible.” Mr. Kerry repeated previous American complaints that it was the Assad government that had blocked progress. “While it stalled in Geneva, the regime intensified its barbaric assault on its civilian population with barrel bombs and starvation,” he said. “It has even gone as far as to add some of the opposition delegates at Geneva to a terrorist list and seize their assets.”
In contrast, Mr. Kerry’s statement said, the opposition “put forward a viable and well-reasoned road map for the creation of a transitional governing body and a viable path by which to move the negotiations forward.”In contrast, Mr. Kerry’s statement said, the opposition “put forward a viable and well-reasoned road map for the creation of a transitional governing body and a viable path by which to move the negotiations forward.”
In an apparent allusion to Russia’s support for the Syrian government, Mr. Kerry called on Mr. Assad’s backers to use their influence to reach a settlement. “In the end, they will bear responsibility if the regime continues with its intransigence in the talks and its brutal tactics on the ground,” the statement added. In an apparent allusion to Russia’s support for Damascus, Mr. Kerry called on Mr. Assad’s backers to press for a settlement. “In the end, they will bear responsibility if the regime continues with its intransigence in the talks and its brutal tactics on the ground,” the statement said.
Expressing support for Mr. Brahimi, the statement added that the United States was still “committed to the Geneva process and to all diplomatic efforts to find a political solution as the only way to a lasting and sustainable end to the conflict.”
On Saturday, Mr. Kerry said that administration officials were trying to think of new policy options on Syria, but he did not say what they were and noted that none had been presented to President Obama.On Saturday, Mr. Kerry said that administration officials were trying to think of new policy options on Syria, but he did not say what they were and noted that none had been presented to President Obama.
From the start, many experts said the talks were an uphill struggle at best. One reason is that Mr. Assad’s position has grown stronger over the past year, as the United States top intelligence chief, James R. Clapper Jr., told Congress recently. The opposition, in contrast, is somewhat fragmented. From the start, many experts said the talks were an uphill struggle at best. One reason is that Mr. Assad’s position has grown stronger over the past year, as the United States top intelligence official, James R. Clapper Jr., told Congress recently. The opposition, in contrast, is somewhat fragmented.
Iran and Russian have also been shipping weapons — and, in Tehran’s case, sending Quds Force military personnel — to Syria to help the Assad government, while the covert American program to train and equip Syrian rebels has been limited. Another factor is that the United States and Russia remain at odds over the purpose of the talks. The United States has insisted that Mr. Assad cannot participate in any transitional administration that might be negotiated, a point Moscow has never accepted. In an indication of the difficulties the opposition is confronting on the battlefield, the Western-aligned Free Syrian Army announced Sunday that it had dismissed Salim Idriss as its military chief and appointed Abdel al-Ilah al-Bachir in his place, Agence France-Presse reported. The group cited “the difficulties faced by the Syrian revolution" as the reason for the change.
Iran and Russia have also been shipping weapons — and, in Tehran’s case, sending Quds Force military personnel — to Syria to help the Assad government, while the covert American program to train and equip Syrian rebels has been limited.