Brahimi demands opposition for wide participation in Geneva II, not only Coalition

The UN and Arab's special envoy to Syria demanded a wide representation from the Syrian opposition in Geneva Peace Conference, January 22, 2014, according to Zaman Alwasl’s sources. 

The source said that Lakhdar Brahimi had informed the key Syrian opposition that the participation in Geneva II can not be restricted by the National Coalition members only.

The envoy responded to the Coalition's will to be the main and only group that decides the opposition representatives. Brahimi asked for a broaden participation from all Syrian opposition including Co-ordination committee.

 Peace talks for the "Geneva 2" conference are set to begin on January 22, the United Nations said on Monday, with the stated goal of agreeing on a mutually acceptable transitional government to bring Syria out of its 2-1/2-year conflict.

Brahimi said yesterday in a press conference that the peace process should start now: “It is a huge opportunity for peace that shouldn’t be wasted. This being so, we very strongly appeal to the Syrian government and the opposition not to wait for the conference, to do some confidence-building measures – diminish the violence, release prisoners and detainees of all sorts,” he added.

The head of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) said on Tuesday that rebel forces loyal to him would not join a planned peace conference and would continue their fight to topple President Bashar al-Assad throughout the talks.

General Salim Idriss's rejection highlights how challenging it will be for international mediators to get Syria's warring and divided parties to the negotiating table.

"Conditions are not suitable for running the Geneva 2 talks at the given date and we, as a military and revolutionary force, will not participate in the conference," Idriss told the pan-Arab news channel Al Jazeera.

In relevant development, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that Tehran was prepared to take part in the Syria peace talks in Geneva, slated for January 22, if invited, Reuters reported.

"Participation of Iran in Geneva 2 is in our view an important contribution to the resolution of the problem. We have said all along that if Iran is invited, we will participate without any preconditions," Zarif told Iran's Press TV. (with Agencies)