“This is an exclusive right of the Syrian people”.
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The Syrian government delegation to shaky peace talks in Geneva will wait no more than 24 hours for the opposition delegation to arrive, the country’s foreign minister said on Saturday.
“We will not talk to anyone who talks about the position of the presidency…I advise them that if this is their thinking, they shouldn’t come to the talks”.
Bogdanov called for forming a united group of the Syrian opposition, only with which “direct contact between the Syrian government and the opposition could be possible”.
But it played down any chance of reaching agreement with the Syrian government to end the war that has killed more than 250,000 people and led to a refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe. A senior State Department official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Kerry emphasized that now is the time to keep moving forward on ending the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
The first round of Geneva talks collapsed on February 3 during a wide government offensive against insurgents.
“It’s important now for those who support President Assad to make sure that he is living up to this agreement”, Kerry said.
Though not invited, PYD leader Saleh Muslim told Reuters he hoped the talks would not fail, adding “if they do, the results will be disastrous for everyone ” .
The High Negotiations Committee, a Saudi-backed umbrella opposition group, said it will attend the Geneva talks and press for a transitional government with full executive powers.
Alloush said a transitional government “cannot start with the presence of the regime, or the head of this regime still in power”.
As far as the government was concerned, “political transition” meant a transition from the existing constitution to a new one, and from the existing government to a new one with participation from the other side.
However, the regime and its critics continue to publicly clash on the fate of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, even as their delegates prepare for the diplomatic effort.
The fate of President Assad has been one of the main stumbling blocks in previous talks.
Britain-based monitor the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described government air strikes that killed at least seven civilians in Aleppo as “the most serious violation in the city since the truce came into effect”.
In its report about the killing of the poet, al-Ani, the SANA news agency said late Thursday that he and his son were taken from their home in Deir el-Zour two months ago to an unknown destination.
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He also criticised the United Nations envoy Staffan de Mistura for already presenting an agenda for the talks and for his comment that presidential elections would take place in 18 months.
