Dialogue on a knife-edge

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Diplomacy

Dialogue on a knife-edge

The Syria talks have not yet really begun, and already the negotiations on the Brink of collapse. The main Syrian opposition Alliance has now at least with the UN mediator spoken.

Riad Naasan Agha from the Syrian opposition Alliance HNC on Saturday in front of the press

Syrian regime opponents have after their arrival in Geneva for the first time with UN-Sondervermittler Staffan de Mistura met. The representative of de Mistura has been visited, said Oppositionssprecher Salem Muslit. “We are optimistic, and we are here to find a solution.”

The Meeting with the representatives of the High Verhandlungskomitees (HNC) and de Mistura took place in a Hotel and not at the official place, the UN headquarters in Geneva, as Muslit announced. De Mistura said after the brief conversation, optimistic, and determined. “This is a historic opportunity we cannot miss,” said the UN mediator.

“Attacks on civilians stop”

If the Opposition at all would appear, was long unknown. HNC-speaker Monser Machus had upon arrival, explained that the delegates would come with mixed feelings, because there are no guarantees about the required humanitarian Gestures on the part of the Syrian government to give. The opposition Alliance demands an end to air strikes on civilians and the siege of Syrian towns by government forces. This was also the reason why the HNC Delegation participating in the talks earlier days had left open.

Oppositionssprecher Salim al-Muslat after the arrival of the Syrian Opposition in Geneva

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HNC coordinator Riad hijab warned in a shortly published on the Internet statement, if the Syrian government crimes to commit, then the presence of HNC in Geneva is not justified. The opposition Alliance will withdraw, “if the UN and the world powers are incapable of these violations to stop,” it said. The HNC is a Saudi Arabia-supported Alliance of armed and civilian opponents of the government of Syrian President Assad.

De Mistura had already on Friday with representatives of the Syrian government in Geneva spoke. Alone the places of the meetings show the feuding of all parties to the conflict. The negotiations are in separate halls. The UN mediator, between them oscillate back and forth.

Only two common goals

Only in two points seems to be for all parties to be Consensus: the rejection of the Dschihadistenmiliz “Islamic state” (IS), and the fundamental support of negotiations to end the years of civil war. In all other questions, however, opinions differ between the West, Russia and the Regionalmächten Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran are far apart.

German foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier phoned now after information of his Ministry with de Mistura, the support of German diplomats in the negotiations have asked. Both sides have stressed that there is significant and concrete progress in the humanitarian situation would come. Steinmeier described the continued attacks on the civilian population by the Syrian Regime as the greatest threat to the peace process.

German expert on the middle East involved

At the Syria peace talks take one of the best known German middle East experts. Volker Perthes, Director of the Berlin science and politics Foundation (SWP), belongs to team of UN-Sondervermittler Staffan de Mistura. In the Middle East, he enjoys a great Reputation – not least because he fluently speaks Arabic.

cgn/yy (dpa, afp, rtr)