Syria Rebels Will Not Attend Astana Peace Talks
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian rebel factions will not attend a new round of negotiations with government figures in the Kazakh capital, an opposition delegation spokesman told AFP on Monday.
"Rebel groups have decided not to participate in Astana," said Osama Abu Zeid, adding that one reason for the boycott was "unfulfilled pledges related to the cessation of hostilities."
The third round of talks in Astana, sponsored by government ally Russia and rebel backer Turkey, is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
The Astana track has aimed to reinforce a fragile ceasefire deal brokered by Moscow and Ankara in December.
"We decided not to participate in Astana because the reinforcement of the ceasefire was not implemented," said Ahmad Othman, commander of the Ankara-backed Sultan Murad rebel group.
"The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege," he told AFP, and rebel groups had informed the talks' sponsors of their decision.
Syrian state television on Monday reported that the government delegation, headed by Syria's representative to the U.N. Bashar al-Jaafari, had arrived in the Kazakh capital.
Jaafari has also led the government's representatives in parallel U.N.-backed talks in Geneva.
Kazakhstan's foreign ministry said the Russian and U.N. delegations had also arrived in Astana for the talks, with other teams expected later Monday.
A fresh round of negotiations in Switzerland is set to begin on March 23 and will focus on governance, the constitution, elections, counter-terrorism and possibly reconstruction, according to U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura.
De Mistura had earlier said he expected negotiators in Astana "to actually address the issue of counter-terrorism" and discuss a "concrete possibility of the exchange of detainees and abducted people."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on Monday discussed the Astana meeting with his Turkish counterpart, Mevlut Cavusoglu, according Lavrov's office.
The Russian foreign ministry did not release details of the call.
Lavrov's deputy Gennady Gatilov said Monday that Moscow had "invited all the parties present at the previous meeting in Astana, and we hope that everyone who attended will also be present this time."
More than 320,000 people have been killed since Syria's conflict erupted in March 2011.
13 March 2017, 15:11
02
"The regime and the militias are continuing to bomb, displace, and besiege" yea baby, and expect some more violence coming your way now that you have closed the door on a negotiated settlement.
13 March 2017, 16:04
03
Not to mention their attack on Sayeda zeinab, it only pleasures me that there will be no peace, then our Resistance can continue to slaughter those salafis.
13 March 2017, 16:38
21
That show both of you as cowardly warmongers. If you are that reckless with other people lives, perhaps you should stop typing nonsense here and and go and fight. You are both sick. Rather than promoting a peaceful end , you demand more war and killing. You have no shame and no honor
13 March 2017, 16:47
12
Salafidemocrat, you are the coward salafi here.
You act all peaceful here, but in reality you support regime change through violent means, so then you cry wolf when you get met with violence in return.
Also you were all happy the other day, typing garbage about the pilgrims killed at Sayeda zeinab were all shia militia men.
Don't play victim with me, and don't judge when you are the most dishonorable around here.
13 March 2017, 16:48
21
Sleezethrower ... Perhaps you think that everyone thinks like a fascist such as yourself. The only solution that people of conscience should demand is a process that will lead to a Democratic pluralistic Syria with rule of law and respect for human rights. That may be too much for your side to understand since they only believe in the application of power and terror to rule over a population
13 March 2017, 16:49
12
Not all of us have the pleasure to seek refuge inside western countries, so sometimes fighting is all we can do in the end "democrat" especially when our homelands are threatened by something devilish as salafism and zionism.
13 March 2017, 16:54
21
Liar Mystic ... Yet I condemned the attack on the site. And yes, their were many militiamen who were killed. You have never condemned the almost daily massacres by your side of civilians. And you are full of it. I supported regime change from day 1 through a process that leads to democracy. It was the regime that militarized the conflict and led to the collapse of much of the state. On the other hand, you supported this monstrous regime from day 1.
13 March 2017, 17:02
02
Democratic pluralistic Syria Al Nusra front, Ahrar Al Sham, ISIS, Jaysh Al "Islam"?
They are your main opposition force in Syria, they must be very democratic indeed.
13 March 2017, 17:12
20
When the revolution started and when your Hizb entered the fray, these were tiny players. But yes, unfortunately the radical elements (except Ahar Al Sham that is becoming more moderate) have become stronger due to several factors (1) regime focusing on destroying moderate oppoaition (2) Isis and Nusra focusing on destroying moderate opposition (3) Lack of adequate support and (4) failure to unify their ranks.
You forgot that the Southern front (a major rebel coalition) signed documents pledging support for a pluralistic Democratic Syria. So did the Army of Islam (the major rebel group in Ghouta and Kalamoun), all of the FSA groups. Ahrar Al Sham has stated that they will support any agreement that is agreeable to the Syrian people.
From day 1 and till today, the regime and its supporters oppose a process that will lead to democracy and respect for human rights
13 March 2017, 17:25
12
Sounds like Salafi propaganda to gain sympathy from the West.
You are a real propagandist too, for your wahabi masters.
I support Assads right to destroy violent uprisings in his country, especially a salafi revolution, that is everything except democratic and peace loving.
13 March 2017, 17:29
02
None of the opposition groups that carries arms are moderate, to mention that they exist, is the same as saying that dogs can fly.
Propaganda and lies, you have no proof that you are moderate on the field. No minorities lives inside Salafi held areas in Syria, neither the Nusra held Idlib or ISIS held Raqqa.
13 March 2017, 20:44
10
FT ... You showed on multiple occasion who the fascist is and it is you - a person very willing to spout hatred that has been banned on multiple occasions from this forum. And you may not believe in democracy and human rights but others do. And you can live in the make up believe world of yours all you want and attribute non-existing beliefs into others, it does not change the fact that you are a lying fascist who believe in autocratic governance.
