EGYPT: Syria's SNC opposition group to attend Geneva 2 talks, says leader Ahmad Jarba

Record ID: 276547

  • Title: EGYPT: Syria's SNC opposition group to attend Geneva 2 talks, says leader Ahmad Jarba
  • Date: 27th November 2013
  • Summary: CAIRO, EGYPT (NOVEMBER 27, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SYRIAN OPPOSITION CHIEF AHMAD JARBA SEATED FOR INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN OPPOSITION CHIEF, AHMAD JARBA, SAYING: "Our position on Geneva is clear - in our last meeting of the National Coalition we presented a comprehensive and clear vision towards attending Geneva 2. This vision was agreed upon by the majorit
  • Embargoed: 12th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Egypt
  • Country: Egypt
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABLMPKTVHTCGFVCX0OMDUNUV7Q
  • Story Text: The Syrian National Coalition opposition group will attend the "Geneva 2" talks in January aimed at ending the civil war, the group's president, Ahmad Jarba, said on Wednesday (November 27).
    Jarba also said regional power Iran should only be allowed to attend if it stopped taking part in the bloodshed in Syria and withdrew its forces and proxies.
    The coalition had previously said it was ready to attend if humanitarian aid corridors were set up and political prisoners released.
    It insisted that President Bashar al-Assad can play no future role in Syria.
    "Geneva 2 is a transitional authority with a presidential skeleton and it is working towards a genuine democratic transition in Syria, this is our understanding of Geneva 2, and that [Syrian President Bashar] al-Assad will not have any future in Syria, nor will he have a role in the interim government or transition," Jarba said in an interview in Cairo.
    Syria said on Wednesday Western countries, which also demand that Assad step down, should either stop "dreaming" or forget attending the peace talks.
    Jarba rejected the idea of Iran attending "under the current reality".
    "Iran is a real partner in the killing of Syrian people and if it wants to attend [Geneva 2], then it must withdraw its troops, Hezbollah forces and extremist Iraqi fighters. After that, it [Iran] can say they have done all they can and that they intend to attend [Geneva 2]," he said.
    Iran is the main backer, along with Russia, of Assad during a conflict that has lasted more than two years, killed more than 100,000 people and uprooted millions more.
    Tehran has said it would attend Geneva 2 if invited and on Wednesday called for a ceasefire ahead of the talks scheduled for January 22.
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