The United Nations says it will issue invitations for marathon Syrian peace talks to begin this week, but opposition groups have signalled they would stay away unless the government and its Russian allies halt air strikes and lift sieges.
UN envoy Staffan de Mistura said he was still working on his list, and expected to issue the invitations on Tuesday for talks to start on Friday.
The aim would be six months of talks, first seeking a ceasefire, then later working towards a political settlement to a war that has killed more than 250,000 people, driven more than 10 million from their homes, and drawn in global powers.
• Ex-Army chief David Morrison named 2016 Australian of the Year
• Your Australia Day spread is most likely foreign
• The most Aussie things to happen in the past year
The ceasefire would cover the whole country except parts held by Islamic State militants and Al Qaeda’s Syrian branch, the Nusra Front, Mr Mistura told a news conference in Geneva.
Mr Mistura, whose two predecessors quit in apparent frustration after holding failed peace conferences of their own, acknowledged the going would be difficult.
“Don’t be surprised. There will be a lot of posturing, a lot of walk-outs or walk-ins because a bomb has fallen or someone has done an attack … You should neither be depressed nor impressed, but it’s likely to happen,” he said, adding: “The important thing is to keep momentum.”
The spokesman for one of the rebel groups in the opposition High Negotiating Committee (HNC) said it was impossible for the opposition to attend as long as rebel territory is being pounded by air strikes and besieged towns are being starved.
“It is impossible to give up any of our demands. If we attend, it’s as if we are selling our martyrs,” said Abu Ghiath al-Shami, spokesman for Alwiyat Seif al-Sham, one of the groups fighting against Mr Assad’s forces in the south-west.
US Secretary of State John Kerry said he expected clarity within a day or two over who would attend, and expressed support for Mr Mistura’s decision to take time to draw up the list.
“We don’t want to decide and have it crumble on day one. It’s worth taking a day or two, or three, or whatever,” Mr Kerry said during a visit to Laos.
The outcome was up to the Syrian parties, he said.
“They have to be serious. If they are not serious, war will continue. [It’s] Up to them. You can lead a horse to water, you can’t make it drink.”
The post UN initiate difficult Syria peace talks appeared first on The New Daily.