Thomson ReutersUN mediator for Syria de Mistura attends a news conference after a meeting with a delegation of the HNC during Syria peace in GenevaGENEVA (Reuters) – Syria’s government must do more to present its ideas about a political transition and not merely talk about principles of the peace process, United Nations mediator Staffan de Mistura said on Friday after a fifth day of peace talks.
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Representatives of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government and the anti-Assad opposition are included in the Geneva talks.
Speaking after a meeting between the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) and the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, HNC member Basma Kodmani said: “We are very keen to avoid a process that does not deliver…De Mistura reasserted that it was a six-month timeframe, hopefully less, but certainly not more”.
De Mistura on Thursday praised the main opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) for offering “substantive” plans for a transition.
The Russian campaign has helped turn the tide of war and allowed Assad’s forces to make significant advances ahead of peace talks, and established Russia as a major player in the diplomatic effort to determine Syria’s future.
The HNC has insisted Mr Assad step down before the start of a transitional period, while the government has ruled out any transfer of power, calling the issue of the presidency a “red line”.
“Our invitation is proof that the talks have entered a new, more serious stage”, he added.
The opposition also wants the government to set out how it will begin releasing prisoners, she said.
“I hope next week… that we will get their opinion, their details, on how they see the political transition taking place”, de Mistura told reporters as he wrapped up a week of negotiations.
De Mistura said his talks with the opposition were intense and productive and confirmed that they had submitted a detailed paper.
That’s because the rebels are demanding an immediate ouster of President Bashar Assad and the installation of a “transitional government”, which they of course intend to dominate.
Bashar Ja’afari, who also heads the Syrian government team at the United Nations brokered talks underway in Geneva, says the negotiations in Switzerland are meant to discuss the unity of Syria and how to preserve its territorial integrity.
HNC negotiator George Sabra said that the Syrian Kurds’ declaration of a federal system was “illegitimate and unacceptable”.
The Kurds have been blocked from joining the peace talks due to harsh opposition from Turkey, which considers the YPG a Syrian affiliate of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), an outlawed group that has waged a decades-long insurgency against Ankara.
President Vladimir Putin says Russian Federation can again build up its forces in Syria “in a few hours” if necessary, and will continue striking extremist groups.
Assad’s opponents hope Putin’s announcement on Monday that most Russian forces would be withdrawn signalled a shift in his support.
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Western governments suggested that the pullout, expected to be completed by the end of the week, could pressure Assad to negotiate an end to the fighting.
