Ahead of a new round of international talks on Syria in New York on Friday, Ban said disagreements on Assad’s future should not stand in the way of advancing prospects for peace.
“It is unacceptable that the whole Syrian crisis and the solution to the crisis has to be dependent on the fate of one man,” Ban told a news conference.
“That is unacceptable,” he repeated.
- Foreign ministers from 17 countries including key players Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United States are meeting in New York on Friday for a third round of talks on ending Syria’s nearly five-year war.
At the last round, the so-called International Syria Support Group (ISSG) agreed to U.N.-led peace talks and a ceasefire in January, and to put in motion a political transition within six months, leading to elections and a new constitution in 18 months.
Preparations for the talks and ceasefire are moving forward, but U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power said “the gaps are very real” over what role, if any, Assad will play in the new transitional government.
“We remain absolutely convinced that for as long as President Assad is in power, it is going to be extremely challenging to turn the country’s attention and the various armed groups’ attention to fighting terrorism and to fighting ISIL,” Power said...
AFP
alarabiya.net
17/12/15
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Russia has made clear to Western nations that it has no objection to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stepping down as part of a peace process, in a softening of its publicly stated staunch backing of Assad ahead of talks in New York, diplomats said....
ReplyDeleteRussia, like Iran, has been a firm ally of Assad and is intervening militarily on his behalf against anti-government forces in the five-year civil war that has claimed more than a quarter million lives. Both Russia and Iran have long insisted Assad’s fate should be decided in a nationwide vote......REUTERS
18/12/15