The new talks take place against the backdrop of setbacks for the Islamic State terror group, which has lost control of the strategic town of Sinjar in Iraq, and saw British militant Mohammed Emwazi – who fronted many of its beheading videos – apparently killed in a U.S. drone strike in its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa.
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The dispute appeared to focus on the leading role the USA had assumed in the talks prior to the main Syria meeting Saturday, and was significant in reflecting the tensions between the two main players whose diplomatic muscle is key to hopes of progress. While almost all are sending their top diplomats, China and Iran are sending deputy ministers.
The participants will be grappling with questions that have scuttled all previous attempts to forge a cease-fire and usher in a political transition.
One US official, who demanded anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the diplomacy, acknowledged that the USA had assumed leadership of the working groups set up by Staffan de Mistura, the United Nations envoy for Syria.
No representatives of the Syrian opposition are expected to take part in the official discussions, which will focus on determining which rebel groups should be regarded as “terrorists” and which should be involved in negotiations on the transition to a new political settlement following the departure of President Bashar Assad.
Failure to reach agreement could leave global peace efforts in tatters.
“We face an environment now that bears little resemblance to the kind of black-white scenarios that make decisions relatively easy”, he said. Gunmen and suicide bombers attacked restaurants, a concert hall and a sports stadium around the French capital on Friday, killing at least 127 people in what President Francois Hollande called an act of war. Europe and Syria’s neighbors, meanwhile, are struggling to cope with the worst migrant crisis since World War II.
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History augurs poorly for a quick understanding – even among just the would-be mediators. While a few countries, such as the USA and its regional allies, want the removal of the Syrian leader as part of a solution to the issue, others, including Iran and Russian Federation, say only the Syrian nation can have a say on the matter. Russian Federation is ambiguous about Assad’s long-term future, carefully safeguarding its longstanding security relationship.
