Prospects for a speedy resumption of the UN-brokered Syrian peace talks in Geneva are diminishing fast as the warring parties dig into positions that look unbridgeable, while fighting continues to threaten the already fragile cessation of hostilities agreement.
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Riyad Hijab, head of the opposition higher negotiations committee (HNC), insisted on Tuesday that a political transition in Damascus would not be possible as long as the "criminal" President Bashar al-Assad[3] remained in power.
He described Monday's decision to "postpone" the third round of proximity talks[4] as a "suspension" and gave no indication of when it would end, adding that the HNC was "out of the negotiations". Hijab demanded a meeting of the UN security council or the countries making up the International Syria Support Group to discuss the crumbling of the truce.
Opposition officials said Hijab's hardening language was addressed primarily to armed groups on the ground who are angry that negotiations are going on without any sign of humanitarian aid reaching civilians in besieged areas [5]or the release of prisoners – as required by the UN resolution mandating the peace process.
"We came to Geneva to secure a real political transition but our cooperation was misunderstood because Syrians are being left to suffer," said Hijab, a former prime minister who defected at the height of the uprising[6] in 2012.
"We will not accept negotiations while our people are still suffering and dying from hunger and bombardment. We cannot be part of a process that will increase the suffering of our nation. There cannot be a solution in Syria while Bashar al-Assad is president."
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Hijab added: "I have this question for the UN and the great powers: if one milk carton cannot go in [to a besieged area] can there be a political transition? I was promised by Mr [John] Kerry that Daraya woud receive help: but not one truck has gone in because of the stubbornness of this criminal regime."
The HNC's chief negotiator, Mohammed Alloush, a representative of the powerful Jaysh al-Islam[8] group, said that he was leaving Geneva because he did not want to be part of an "absurd" political solution that does not achieve a lasting resolution of the five-year-long conflict, which has killed an estimated 470,000 people and made millions homeless. "For how long will the world continue to see us as numbers only?" he asked.
Bashar Jaafari, the Syrian government's UN ambassador and chief representative, meanwhile, repeated that Assad's fate was not up for discussion. "This matter does not fall under the jurisdiction of Geneva ... this is a Syrian-Syrian affair, security council or no security council," he told Lebanon's al-Mayadeen TV. "In Geneva we have one mandate only: to arrive at an expanded national government." The opposition insists that is not the "transitional governing body" that has been endorsed by the UN.
Monday's crisis prompted an urgent phone call between Presidents Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, who came together to oversee the cessation of hostilities deal in late February but remain far apart on a political solution to the crisis.
The announcement of the postponement of talks came after the opposition said the Assad regime carried out 70 air raids with help from Iran and Russia[9]. In recent days Syrian government forces have been mounting an offensive near Aleppo, while rebel groups have advanced in Latakia in the north and Hama in the centre of the country.
Air strikes on Tuesday on Maarat al-Numan in the northwest reportedly killed 40 people in a market place, drawing furious condemnation from the HNC. "Assad is telling the world he has no interest in diplomacy for peace, but is determined to go on killing Syrians with impunity," it said. "Our decision to postpone our participation in the Geneva talks was taken to highlight the cynicism of the regime in pretending to negotiate while escalating the violence. This attack is Assad's response. The world must not ignore this challenge."
Staffan de Mistura, the UN's Syria envoy, who is keen to avoid sounding alarmed at the suspension, has said he will take stock of the situation at the end of this week.
References
- ^ UN-brokered Syrian peace talks (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ cessation of hostilities (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Bashar al-Assad (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Monday's decision to "postpone" the third round of proximity talks (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ wit hout any sign of humanitarian aid reaching civilians in besieged areas (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ defected at the height of the uprising (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Syria (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Jaysh al-Islam (www.theguardian.com)
- ^ Russia (www.theguardian.com)
Source → Syria peace talks founder after dispute over transitional government
