Ibrahimi: No Geneva Conference without Credible Opposition

Local Editor

An international conference aimed at ending Syria's civil war is planned for Nov. 23, the head of the Arab League said Sunday, although the international envoy to Syria al-Akhdar Ibrahimi said the date had yet to be finalized and that peace talks would not be held "without a credible opposition."

The main Western-backed opposition umbrella group, the so-called Syrian National Coalition, is scheduled to meet on Nov. 1 to decide whether or not to attend the proposed Geneva conference. One of the most prominent factions within the Coalition, the so-called "Syrian National Council", has said it had no faith in such talks and wouldn't attend.

Many armed groups fighters on the ground flatly refused to attend the conference. The government, meanwhile, has refused to talk with the terrorists.
Speaking at Arab League headquarters in Cairo, the League's chief Nabil al-Araby said the Geneva conference would be held on Nov. 23. He said "many difficulties" face the proposed talks, but stressed "it's time that the killings and the bloodshed stopped."

Ibrahimi struck a more cautious tone and emphasized that the timing of the conference was not yet set.

He said he must first visit Qatar and Turkey - two key supporters of the armed groups - and then meet with US and Russian officials in Geneva before a final date would be announced.
The envoy will also visit Tehran next week for talks to prepare for the proposed conference, Iranian state media reported Sunday.
Meanwhile, al-Watan newspaper, said Ibrahimi would also visit Syria next week to discuss the planned conference.

The daily added that Damascus was ready to welcome him as long as "he works as a mediator, not as a party in the international conflict over Syria."
On the key issue of who will take part in the talks, Ibrahimi said that the negotiations "will not be held without a credible opposition, representing an important part of opposition within Syrian people."

But at the same time, he said: "It is not important that all - either armed or non-armed opposition - join in the meeting as those who won't participate will be included in Geneva II subsequent phase."
Najib Ghadbian, the opposition coalition's US representative, said despite the Syrian National Council's decision, other members of the umbrella group could still decide to go.

"We have not made a decision in the coalition about whether to go or not, but we agreed on certain determinants of what's acceptable for us to go to Geneva, including our understanding that al-Assad is not part of that process," Ghadbian claimed during an appearance at John Hopkins University's School in Washington Friday.

Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi reiterated Sunday the government's position that it had "no preconditions" to going to Geneva, while listing a series of acts that he said would disqualify partners in a process of dialogue.

"Those who took up arms against Syria, engaged in bloodshed, or supported those who did, and those who permitted the killers to come from every part of the world through their borders, paid money, bought weapons, blew up cars and committed massacres and assassinations - those people are not a party to any political discussion, whether or not they are Syrians," Zoubi told al-Manar television.
"Syria wants a Syrian-Syrian political, national dialogue that puts the national interest and sovereignty about all other considerations. This shouldn't be considered a condition, but a fact of dialogue," he said.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team