Deputy U.N. mediator on Syria
Nasser al-Kidwa told U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday that he was
resigning, after repeated calls from the Syrian government for him to be
removed.
United Nations
confirmedKidwa's “intention to leave his current position, effective this
week.” “He has indicated to the Secretary-General his willingness to serve the
United Nations in other capacities, should the Secretary-General wish,”
according to a U.N. statement.
Reuters however quoted
diplomatic sources as saying that Kidwa “has been sacked.”
Kidwa, a former foreign
minister of the Palestinian authority and a nephew of Yasser Arafat, was
appointed as a deputy to Brahimi’s predecessor Kofi Annan in March 2012, and
continued in the role under Brahimi.
His departure comes after
the first week-long session of talks, chaired by Brahimi, between the Syrian
government and the opposition, ended on Friday. Brahimi has asked both sides to
return for more talks on. Feb 10.
Diplomats had previously
said Kidwa’s role was the subject of friction just before the Geneva talks
began, since the delegation representing President Bashar al-Assad had asked
for him to be removed.
But, as rumors swirled
that he had been sidelined, Kidwa showed up, sitting behind his boss Brahimi
for the day of speeches that launched the talks on Jan. 22 in Montreux.
U.N. sources and Arab
diplomats said that the Damascus government had always objected to Kidwa, who
was nominated by the Arab League to the joint mediation team.
“The Syrian government
has always said, from the beginning, they would prefer Nasser is not there.
Mostly because he used to be with Palestinian leadership,” a U.N. source said.
The episode, according to
a senior opposition negotiator, showed that “Brahimi’s main goal is to achieve
a deal. He does not care if he has to sacrifice Kidwa. He also wants to get as
many concessions as possible from both sides.”
Diplomats say there are
no obvious candidates to replace Brahimi, 80, if he were to step down from the
job of running the Syria talks.
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