Russia regrets part of Syrian opposition setting terms for participating in Geneva-2
© Photo: Voice of Russia
Moscow regrets that the National Coalition of the Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is still setting preliminary conditions for its participation in the Geneva-2 international conference, the Russian Foreign Ministry posted a statement on its website on Thursday.
Following the general assembly of the National
Coalition in Istanbul on January 6-7, the Coalition's leadership has
stated it would make the final decision on participation in Geneva-2 not
later than January 17.
"It has been concluded with
regret that one of the Syrian opposition movements continues to set
preliminary conditions for its participation in the Geneva-2
international conference, thus attempting to predetermine its results,"
the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
Following the meeting in Istanbul, National Coalition Chairman, Ahmed Jarba, has maintained his position, the statement said.
At
the same time, several dozen assembly participants said they exited the
National Coalition due to disagreements regarding participation in the
Geneva-2 international conference and approaches to resolving the Syrian
crisis, the document said.
Representatives
of Russia soon intend to conduct a number of meetings at various levels
with representatives of the Syrian opposition, including the National
Coalition, Russian Foreign Ministry says.
"We continue
to conduct energetic and purposeful work with all Syrian representatives
and parties, including the National Coalition. In this context, in the
forthcoming period, we have planned a number of relevant meetings and
contacts at a high level", a message posted on the ministerial website
on Thursday reads.
According to the report, Moscow still
believes that there is no alternative to a political and diplomatic
settlement of the Syrian crisis. "Its start without preconditions on
January 22 at the international forum in Montreux, Switzerland, is
intended to put an immediate end to any kind of violence and bloodshed,
and the suffering of the people of Syria", the message says.
A
delegation of the Syrian opposition coalition is poised to come to
Moscow before January 17 to discuss the group’s participation in the
forthcoming Syria peace talks, its deputy chief has confirmed.
The
National Syrian Coalition’s spokesperson has quoted vice president
Mohammed Faruk Tayfur as saying the opposition delegation is planning to
meet with Friends of Syria's foreign ministers in France on January 12,
before going to Moscow where it wants to discuss with Russia its
approach to the global peace conference on Syria.
He
said the group was to make up its mind on whether it would be attend the
conference based on the outcome of the Kremlin talks.
Earlier
reports said the opposition group was expected to announce its decision
on January 17, just days ahead of the Geneva-2 conference in the town
of Montreux, Swizerland, which is slated for January 22.
Syrian
National Coalition’s president Ahmad al-Jarba, who has recently been
re-elected for a second term, was expected to come to Moscow on January
13-14. He is also planning to go to Paris on January 12 for a meeting of
the US-led Friends of Syria group.
This comes ahead of
the January 13 meeting between US and Russian foreign policy veterans,
John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov, who are to discuss the possibility of
inviting Iran to the Syrian negotiating table, a Russian initiative
staunchly opposed by Washington.
A Muslim Brotherhood
member of the Coalition, Mr. Tayfur, was elected as one of
al-Jarba’s three vice presidents earlier this week.
Russia
has blocked the UN Security Council’s statement condemning the Syrian
government attack on the major rebel stronghold of Aleppo. This is
according to Reuters who has cited United Nations’ representatives
today.
Diplomatic
sources within the United Nations said the Russian delegation insisted
on amending the text of the official message to remove any reference to
the northern city of Aleppo. The council failed to reach common ground
and the discussion ended in an impasse. Russia has not commented on the
dispute.
On
December 19, Russia also vetoed a draft statement on the recent
bombardment of Aleppo that said the government’s armed forces targeted
civilians with so-called “barrel bombs”, explosive-filled cylinders or
oil barrels, often dropped from helicopters.
Human
rights watchdogs claim that troops loyal to Syrian President Bashar
Assad had killed over 700 people and wounded some 3,000 in an aerial
attack on Aleppo on December 15, although the Assad administration
underscored the operation had targeted Aleppo-entrenched insurgents who
control the major part of the city.
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