DUSHANBE, May 18, 2016, Asia-Plus – Intenrational media outlets report that major power foreign ministers failed to agree a new date to resume Syrian peace talks at a meeting on Tuesday, and the opposition said it would not come back to Geneva negotiations unless conditions improved on the ground.
According to Reuters, a pessimistic atmosphere pervaded the meeting in Vienna between countries that support President Bashar al-Assad and his enemies, all of which have committed to reviving a ceasefire and peace process that have been unraveling since last month.
In a joint statement after the meeting attended by the United States, European and Middle East powers that oppose Assad as well as Russia and Iran which support him, the powers reportedly called for a full cessation of hostilities and access for aid.
In stronger language than in the past, they warned the warring factions that if they repeatedly broke the truce they risked forgoing the protection of the February 27 cessation of hostilities agreement sponsored by Washington and Moscow.
They also directed the U.N.”s World Food Programme to air drop food, medicine and water to besieged communities starting on June 1 if humanitarian access was denied by either side.
But they did not agree on a date for peace talks to resume. The Geneva talks broke up last month after the opposition delegation quit, accusing the government of ignoring the ceasefire, and recent weeks saw an intensification of fighting, particularly near Aleppo, Syria”s largest city before the war.
U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura told a news conference there was still a strong desire to keep the peace process moving.
The main opposition High Negotiations Committee said it was not willing to return to negotiations without a full ceasefire and access for humanitarian aid.
After Tuesday”s meetings, the opposition said the powers had rebuked Assad by demanding that aid should reach towns his forces were blockading.
According to SBS, US Secretary of State Kerry once again made it clear Washington wanted President Bashar al-Assad out of power, saying Russia should be using its influence to secure a transition.
“There is leverage in the fact that this war will not end for him or for his people without a political settlement, everybody understands that. That is why we have the cessation of hostilities we have today, and some delivery of humanitarian assistance, not as good as we want, but it”s there because we have some leverage. Standing to my right is leverage: Russia.”
But Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov repeated Moscow”s line that it is not fighting on behalf of any particular ruler.
“In his opening statement John said, as if it were something to be taken for granted, that Russia and Iran were supporting Assad. We don”t support Assad. We support the fight against terrorism. And we don”t see on the ground a more efficient force than the Syrian government army, despite all its shortcomings.”
