Speaking to reporters in Geneva after what he described as a “fairly long meeting” where the two sides discussed “sensitive” matters regarding the security situation and terrorism in Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, Joint Special Representative of the United Nations and the League of Arab States said that the first round of talks would wrap up after a little more than a week.
“Tomorrow morning will be our last session. I hope that we will try…to draw some lessons about what we did and see if we can organize ourselves better for the next session. I think that’s enough for a beginning,” said Mr. Brahimi, expressing the hope that when the talks reconvene – reportedly in February – “we will be able to have a more structured discussion.”
Since the conflict erupted in March 2011 between the Government and various groups seeking the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad, well over 100,000 people have been killed and nearly 9 million others driven from their homes. More than 9.3 million people within the country need humanitarian aid, the UN has said, with over 2.5 million of them living in areas where access is seriously constrained or non-existent.
The goal of the talks, under way in Switzerland since 24 January, is to achieve a political solution to the Syrian conflict through a comprehensive agreement between the two sides for the full implementation of the Geneva communiqué, adopted after the first international meeting on the issue on 30 June 2012, and since endorsed by the UN Security Council.
The communiqué lays out key steps in a process to end the violence. Among others, it calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body, with full executive powers and made up by members of the present Government and the opposition and other groups, as part of agreed principles and guidelines for a Syrian-led political transition.
- While noting that the two sides agreed today that “terrorism does exist in Syria and that is a very serious problem”, Mr. Brahimi said no agreement was reached on how to deal with it. However, the rival delegations did agree to hold a moment of silence to honour victims of the civil war – “no matter which [side] they belong to.”
- Overall, Mr. Brahimi said, “we haven’t noticed any major change, to be honest, in the two sides’ positions,” and he expressed deep disappointment that there was no movement on allowing UN aid convoy into Homs, and on allowing civilians to leave the besieged city, cut off from supplies.
“I am …very, very disappointed, because the situation in Homs is bad and has been bad for months, years even. That is the first place very bad fighting and destruction has taken place,” he said, though he added that negotiations are still ongoing.
Turning to another issue of major concern, Mr. Brahimi said that negotiations have also been under way regarding the Yarmouk refugee camp in Damascus, and today, some aid has gone in. “So, a partial solution in Yarmouk, but no solution yet in Homs,” he said.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has confirmed that was able to deliver aid to the residents trapped in Yarmouk.
According to UNRWA Spokesperson Chris Gunness, the agency distributed over one thousand food parcels to the Palestinians in the camp, the first such aid since 21 January, when it had distributed 138 food parcels. “We are encouraged by the delivery of this aid and the cooperation of the parties on the ground. We hope to continue and increase substantially the amount of aid being delivered because the numbers of those needing assistance is in the tens of thousands,” said Mr. Gunness, stressing that number includes some 18,000 Palestinians, among them women and children.
“We need to build on today's modest achievement. UNRWA and the international community urgently need secure, substantial and permanent humanitarian access,” he said.
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30/1/14
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Peace talks on Syria to resume in February - UN chief...
ReplyDeleteSyrian government officials and the opposition will in February resume attempts to end the three-year-old conflict, UN chief Ban Ki-moon confirmed Thursday as negotiators from both sides argued over priorities - forming a transitional government or tackling the violence. Syria agreed to dispose its chemical arsenal in line with a deal reached with Russia and the United States.
In Berlin, the UN secretary general said the Syrian delegations would leave Geneva on Friday to brief their leaders and return to the negotiating table in February. But a date has not yet been set. Along the way, the opposition delegation is to stop at the Munich Security Conference on Friday to meet with US Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Ban, an opposition source revealed.
They are to discuss the Syrian crisis and to do a "primary evaluation of the Geneva-2 talks," the source said..............http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_01_31/Peace-talks-on-Syria-to-resume-in-February-UN-chief-8389/
31/1/14
Syria peace talks due to end in Geneva....
ReplyDeletehe current round of peace negotiations on Syria is due to end in Switzerland later on Friday, with little or no progress expected on core issues.
After a week of talks at the UN headquarters in Geneva, the opposing sides are still stuck on the question of how to proceed.
UN envoy Lakhdar Brahimi has said he hopes for more progress in next week's second round of talks.
More than 100,000 people have died since the uprising began in March 2011.
In a rare gesture of harmony on Thursday, both sides stood together in silence to remember victims of the violence.
Correspondents say Friday's closing session in Geneva is expected to be largely ceremonial, with government and opposition delegates expected to meet again on 10 February...........http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25974570
31/1/14
No aid for Homs as Syria peace talks take a break....
ReplyDeleteA first round of peace talks on Syria wraps up Friday with both sides in entrenched positions and the U.N. mediator expressing frustration that it had not even been possible to get agreement for an aid convoy to enter the besieged city of Homs.
After a week of talks at the United Nations headquarters in Geneva, the opposing sides in Syria’s civil war were still stuck on the question of how to proceed.
Friday’s closing session was expected to be largely ceremonial, with government and opposition delegates expected to meet again on Feb. 10.
“I hope that in the next session, when we come back, we will be able to have a more structured discussion,” mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said.
He was “very, very disappointed” that a U.N. aid convoy was still waiting fruitlessly to enter the rebel-held Old City of Homs, where the United States says civilians are starving.
Diplomats say that a top priority is to keep the talks process going in the hope that hardline positions can be modified over time.
The sides took a first tentative step forward on Wednesday by agreeing to use a 2012 document as a basis for discussions, but it was clear on Thursday that they are still at odds..............http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/01/31/No-aid-entered-Homs-as-Syria-peace-talks-take-a-break.html
31/1/14
Syria regime 'forced to negotiate': opposition ...
ReplyDeleteSyria's regime was forced to the negotiating table thanks to the actions of the country?s rebels, who represent the true voice of the Syrian people, opposition spokesman Louay Safi said Friday.
"The fact that the regime has been forced come to Geneva -- this is the result of the fighting of the Syrian people," Safi told reporters after a weeklong first round of peace talks wrapped up here.
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31/1/14
Syria says ‘no tangible’ results in Geneva talks...
ReplyDeleteA week of talks between the Syrian regime and the opposition national coalition in Geneva ended on Friday without and tangible results, Syrian Minister Walid Muallem told reported.
Muallem blamed a “lack of maturity and seriousness” on the part of the rival delegation, which he claimed had sought to “implode” the peace negotiations.
“They acted as if we had wanted to come here for one hour and hand over everything to them. It’s indicative of the illusions that they are living under,” he said.
Muallem spoke after U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said he aimed to bring the two sides back to the table for a new round of talks from February 10.
Brahimi had told reporters that while the opposition agreed, the government delegation had informed him that it wanted time to consult with Damascus first.
Muallem said President Bashar al-Assad and his government would first read the delegation’s report, then make a decision on the next step, with the negotiators returning if the public demanded it.
Both the regime and opposition spar over who truly speaks in the name of Syrians, with the government claiming the rebels are the plaything of the United States, Turkey and Gulf monarchies.
“We represent the concerns and the interests of our people,” Muallem insisted.
“We are a country. We have our government, our institutions. We are willing to discuss, but for that we have to know the identity of the other side: are they Syrians or are they not?”
Syrian opposition chief dismissed the failure of the talks, saying it was a success in itself to be holding negotiations with a regime that for long claimed that it is the sole representative of the Syrian people.
“The regime has fallen in the same trap it has set up for us it is walking in its own funeral. By talking to us, the regime acknowledges that it is not the sole representative of the Syrian people,” SNC chief Ahmad al-Jarba said.................http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/01/31/Syria-will-not-make-any-concessions-in-Geneva.html
31/1/14
Syria talks end first round, government uncommitted to return...
ReplyDelete(Reuters) - A contentious week-long first round of Syrian peace talks ended on Friday with no progress towards ending the civil war and the government delegation unable to say whether it will return for the next round in 10 days.
U.N. mediator Lakhdar Brahimi, who has tirelessly pursued a peace deal that other diplomats consider "mission impossible", said the opposition delegation would be back on February 10, but President Bashar al-Assad's delegates had told him they would have to check with Damascus before agreeing to return.
"They didn't tell me that they are thinking of not coming. On the contrary, they said that they would come, but they needed to check with their capital," Brahimi told a news conference.
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31/1/14