Syrian opposition urged to attend peace talks

Foreign ministers from 11 countries – the so-called Friends of Syria group – are meeting in London on Tuesday ahead of an international conference in Switzerland in November.

Foreign Secretary William Hague urged moderate opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to come together, but the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) may not attend the talks if Assad’s removal from power is not a stated goal. SNC President Ahmad Jarba believes the group risks losing credibility if this aim is not pursued.

But President Assad said in an interview with Lebanese TV channel Al-Mayadeen there was no reason why he should not run in the 2014 Syrian elections.

‘Intensive support’

Mr Hague said the Friends of Syria group had agreed to continue to provide “intensive political and practical support” to the SNC.

He said that before the so-called Geneva II talks, the UK would announce a further package of support for the group, including “substantial” non-lethal supplies, such as communications, medical and logistical equipment.

He added: “There can be no peaceful and political solution in Syria without the participation of a moderate opposition. We pledged our further support to them.

“It is important that we don’t abandon them, we keep faith with them.Through the Geneva II process, we will be with them every step of the way, giving them the support they need as well as the practical and administrative support needed to carry out such a negotiation.”

Mr Hague said that the Friends of Syria group was not making it a precondition of the Geneva talks that Assad could have no part in the political future of his country, but he made it clear that he did not expect there to be a place for him in any transitional administration.

Other countries represented in London are the US, France, Germany, Italy, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.

100,000 deaths

The US and Russia said in May they would convene a Geneva II conference to try to end a conflict that has killed well over 100,000 people and forced millions from their homes, but it faces huge obstacles and no firm date has been set.

Many of the mostly Islamist rebels fighting in Syria refuse to recognise the SNC.

US Secretary of State John Kerry said events may have moved in Assad’s favour since he and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov announced plans for the peace conference five months ago, but that the aim remained to get both sides to choose a transitional government.

He said: “I don’t know anybody who believes that the opposition will ever consent to Bashar al-Assad being part of that government.

“If he thinks he is going to solve problems by running for re-election, I can say to him … this war will not end.”

There is also disagreement over whether Iran, a backer of the Assad regime, should be involved in talks, with Saudi Arabia strongly opposed.