Syrian Opposition Issues Conditional Agreement to Peace Talks

Chang Mei Yen,

Correspondent (Asia: Middle East and Central)

 

ISTANBUL – The main Syrian oppositional group has agreed to participate in peace talks with the Syrian government, if its preconditions are met.

In a statement issued on Monday, the Syrian National Coalition agreed to attend the Genevian peace talks and outlines conditions President Assad’s ruling party and the international community must fulfil beforehand.

Their conditions include a guarantee by the Syrian government to allow the creation of humanitarian corridors reaching besieged areas, the release of political prisoners, and for the talks to seek resolution via political transition. The Syrian National Coalition, however, holds on to their call seeking the resignation of President Assad as the country transits to a new government.

Foreign powers and international bodies facilitating the talks have yet to agree on a date to convene the peace conference and on the countries attending the peace talks.

Unoptimistic

Syrians receive the news of further talks seeking to end the two-and-a-half-year civil war with scepticism, as previous international efforts have come to naught. Demands made in the first Geneva talks in 2012, including a cessation of violence by government and the opposition, the release of prisoners, and full humanitarian access, have yet to be carried out. The Syrian National Coalition has also revealed that the Friends of Syria, a coalition of Western countries sympathetic to the Syrian cause, had promised to deliver the safe passage of humanitarian aid to besieged areas in Syria and the release of women and children in prison. Neither of these promises have been carried out.

The Syrian civil war has claimed 100,000 victims, with 7 million more displaced.

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