UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura is giving a press conference in Geneva to update on the situation surrounding the (postponed) Syrian peace talks.
Here are some key points:
- There has been very different opinions and positions regarding list of invitations, this has been the issue and stalemate so far
- Discussions between Kerry, Lavrov, foreign ministers of region which are ongoing
- I am very much aware of danger of what happened in Geneva II
- That's why I am particularly careful about issue of invitations to make sure we don't have a repetition of Geneva II
- We want to make sure when and if we start we start on the right foot, it will be uphill anyway
- Security Council 2254 is very clear -- I am assigned task to finalize efforts of list of Syrian participants. That is my mandate. Also this resolution urges me to bring broadest possible spectrum of opposition
- Due to intense disagreements over who should be on the list the talks have been delayed. Today instead of announcing beginning of talks I am announcing the date in which we will be in a position to send invitations -- tomorrow (January 26).
- Date on which we are aiming to begin talks -- Jan. 29
- We will make sure there is a substantial presence of women.
- Agenda will be already set up about new governance, new constitution and new elections
- The first priority will be the possibility of broad cease fire, stopping threat of IS, increase of humanitarian aid.
- Tomorrow there will be official press conference from UN's humanitarian side to explain how urgent and how important this is.
- No opening ceremony.
- We will aim at proximity talks starting on Jan 29 and ongoing for six months.
- This is how we will try to make it different from the past -- this is not Geneva III.
- There are political risks.
- No preconditions at least to start the talks.
- Time has come to at least try hard to produce an outcome.
UN Special Envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura is giving a press conference in Geneva to update on the situation surrounding the (postponed) Syrian peace talks.
Here are some key points from the question and answer session:
- Everything will be based on the Geneva Communique
- The working groups don't exist any more, we have only one intra Syrian talks about three issues: governance, constitution, new elections. Syrians want to hear about cease fire and humanitarian aid. This does not mean that during the talks we won't establish specialist working groups.
- Q: how many delegations will there be? A: This will be part of creativity of proximity talks. There will be a lot of shuffling between groups, because there are a lot of civil society and women's groups that deserve to be heard. So you can have quite a lot of simultaneous meetings taking place.
- In terms of vision, things may go faster or slower. There will be a lot of posturing, a lot of walk out or walk ins because a bomb has fallen or someone has done an attack, we should not be impressed or shocked. The first part of the talks should last 2-3 weeks, then the various interlocutors can consult their supporters and prepare for next stage. Name of the game is to be as flexible as possible.
- Q: will the talks definitely go ahead on Friday? A: We are definitely going to aim to start on Jan. 29, invitations will be sent tomorrow. Proximity talks does not mean opening ceremony.
- Q: Will Ahrar al-Sham and Islam Army be on list of invitations? A: I'm going to send invitations based on the mandate given by Security Council tomorrow.
- Probably there is a much better understanding by those who insist on preconditions -- e.g. list of who is a terrorist -- that what matters is starting the talks with some sort of minimal understanding. Security Council is telling me (re terrorists) IS and Al-Nusra [Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate]
UN Syria Envoy Staffan de Mistura is answering questions after a press conference on the Syria peace talks.
De Mistura was asked about the plan for local cease fires in Syria and whether this would be possible when one of the groups involved in the fighting was a terrorist group.
De Mistura: It has been clear to all those attending the Vienna process that the suspension of fighting regarding IS in particular and also the Al-Nusra front is not on the table but there are plenty of other suspensions of fighting that can take place.
The press conference with UN Syria Envoy Staffan de Mistura is now ended.
Syria Peace Talks Stalled Over Who Represents Opposition
UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura has said that he will be sending out invitations tomorrow -- Jan. 26 -- for the Syria talks which are now scheduled to start on Jan. 29.
The talks will be "proximity talks" and will not have any official opening ceremony -- which means that it does not matter if some groups cannot reach Geneva when talks open on Friday.
Reuters is reporting that the talks -- which were meant to start today -- have stalled, in part, because of disagreements over who should represent the Syrian opposition.
Russian Warplanes Carried Out 169 Sorties In Three Days: RIA
Russian warplanes in Syria have carried out 169 sorties between Jan. 22-24 against 484 "terrorist infrastructure targets," RIA Novosti is reporting, citing general staff spokesman Lt. Gen. Sergei Rudskoi.
Russia is continuing with a push against rebel positions ahead of Syrian peace talks, which are now set to start on Jan. 29.
Mother Of 'Jihadi Jack' Says Her Son Is In Syria For Humanitarian Reasons
The mother of a British man dubbed "Jihadi Jack" after reports that he was the first white Briton to join the IS group has said that her son is in Syria to do humanitarian work, according to the Guardian.
"We spoke to him yesterday and he said he had never had a weapon in his life. He went out there for humanitarian purposes to help kids in Syrian refugee camps.
"It is not as if he is hiding anything -- he tells us what he has for breakfast. All this is absolutely ridiculous, it is shocking," she told the Evening Standard.
From our news desk:
Putin Says Russian Air Strikes To Continue In Syria As Long As Necessary
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told students in Stavropol that Russian air strikes in Syria will continue for as long as it is necessary to support Syrian forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.
Speaking at the North Caucasus Federal University on January 25, Putin said Moscow's goal is to help Assad's military defeat "terrorists."
Putin said Russia has "no intention of meddling in the state structure, in solving problems faced by Syria and other countries in the region."
He said the only task of Russian forces in Syria is to help "people, help the legitimate leadership of Syria to combat terrorism, and to liquidate terrorists on Syrian soil."
His remarks come a day after suspected Russian air strikes killed at least 63 people, including nine children, in eastern Syria.
The United States and NATO say Russia has been targeting moderates in Syria who have been fighting against Assad's regime since it launched a bloody crackdown on opposition protesters in 2011.
The pro-opposition SMART news agency has shared this footage of the aftermath of a suicide truck bombing in the Sukari district of Aleppo city today.
The bombing is thought to have been carried out by the IS group and targeted a headquarters belonging to the Islamist rebel group Ahrar al-Sham. SMART report that 16 people were killed, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights put the death toll as at least 23.
Most of those killed are thought to be Ahrar al-Sham members but some civilians are thought to have died as well.
Here's footage posted today and taken on Jan. 23 in central Ramadi in Iraq's Anbar Province. Ramadi was recently recaptured from IS militants but work is ongoing to clear up booby traps and unexploded devices left in buildings by the militants.
The extent of the destruction in Ramadi is visible in this short video.