On
Syria, Geneva
II Talks Set
for January
22, Wait for
Next Year,
and for
Jarbucks?
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
November 25 --
The UN this
morning
announced a
date for the
Geneva II
talks on
Syria: January
22, 2014.
Nearly
immediately
Gulf
media quoted
their Syrian
opposition
that it should
be further
delayed;
Bahiya Mardini
was quoted
that "US
Ambassador
Robert
Ford has
assured the
opposition
that the deal
between Iran
and
Western
countries
regarding its
nuclear
program would
not negatively
affect the
Syrian issue."
But
there was no
list or
mention of
invitees in
the 333 word
announcement
sent out by UN
Secretary
General Ban
Ki-moon at 6
am in New York
on
Monday, see
below. Is Iran
invited?
The
"Syrian
Coalition" of
Ahmed al
Jarba,
declared by
France in
September to
be the sole
legitimate
representative
of the Syrian
people after a
faux
UN briefing
then UNnoticed
meeting with
Ban in
his
UN-provided
residence,
more than an
hour later had
not issued any
statement.
Back
on November
21,
Jarbucks'
Coalition had
this to say:
"The
Syrian
Coalition
condemns the
twin blasts
near the
Iranian
embassy
south of the
Lebanese
capital
Beirut, which
killed and
injured scores
of civilians
on Tuesday,
November 19th.
On behalf of
the Syrian
people, the
Syrian
Coalition
extends its
condolences to
the people of
Iran and hopes
the government
of Iran
acknowledges
the Syrian
people’s daily
suffering and
reconsiders
its unlimited
support of
the Assad
Regime."
Inner
City Press asked,
what if this
SNC
statement's
logic were
applied to
other attacks,
like Nine
Eleven or the
Westgate Mall
in Kenya?
Then,
the
denunciation
would be
near-immediate.
So where are
the statements
from Jarba's
sponsors, in
Paris, Riyadh,
Washington and
elsewhere? So
far, none.
Here
is this
morning's
announcement
by the UN:
The
Secretary-General
is pleased to
announce that
he will
convene the
Geneva
conference on
Syria in
Geneva on
Wednesday,
January 22,
thus
bringing the
Syrian
Government and
opposition to
a negotiating
table
for the first
time since the
start of the
Syrian
conflict.
The
Secretary-General
expresses deep
appreciation
to the
Initiating
States, the
Governments of
the Russian
Federation and
the United
States, as
well as to
other Member
States and
Joint Special
Representative
Brahimi for
their hard
work that has
brought us to
this point.
We
will
go to Geneva
with a mission
of hope. The
Geneva
conference is
the vehicle
for a peaceful
transition
that fulfills
the legitimate
aspirations of
all the Syrian
people for
freedom and
dignity, and
which
guarantees
safety and
protection to
all
communities in
Syria. Its
goal is the
full
implementation
of the Geneva
Communiqué of
30
June 2012,
including the
establishment,
based on
mutual
consent, of a
transitional
governing body
with full
executive
powers,
including
over military
and security
entities.
The
Secretary-General
expects that
the Syrian
representatives
will come
to Geneva with
a clear
understanding
that this is
the objective,
and
with a serious
intention to
end a war that
has already
left well over
100,000 dead,
driven almost
nine million
from their
homes, left
countless
missing and
detained, sent
tremors
through the
region and
forced
unacceptable
burdens on
Syria’s
neighbors.
Noting
the
Security
Council's
endorsement of
the full
implementation
of the
Geneva
Communiqué in
Resolution
2118 (2013),
the
Secretary-General
will expect
all regional
and
international
partners to
demonstrate
their
meaningful
support for
constructive
negotiations.
All must show
vision and
leadership.
All can begin
working now to
take steps to
help the
Geneva
conference
succeed,
including
toward the
cessation of
violence,
humanitarian
access,
release of
detainees and
return of
Syrian
refugees and
internally
displaced to
their homes.
The
conflict
in Syria has
raged for too
long. It would
be
unforgivable
not to seize
this
opportunity to
bring an end
to the
suffering and
destruction it
has caused.
Watch
this site.
, 
