syria rebels reject sochi peace initiative
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
Last Updated : GMT 05:17:37
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Syria rebels reject Sochi peace initiative

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice

Emiratesvoice, emirates voice Syria rebels reject Sochi peace initiative

More than three dozen Syrian rebel groups
Beirut - Emiratesvoice

More than three dozen Syrian rebel groups, including influential Islamists, have rejected a Russian-led initiative for talks next month in Sochi on ending Syria's war.

Russia and Iran, both key allies of Syria's regime, agreed with opposition backer Turkey on Friday to hold a "Congress of National Dialogue" in the Black Sea resort of Sochi on January 29 and 30.

Syria's government swiftly said it would attend but rebels have pushed back, calling it a Russian bid to eclipse a United Nations-led process in Geneva.

"We completely reject Russia's attempt to circumvent the Geneva track," the rebels said in a joint statement published Monday.

"We call on all forces to stand in one rank against these alarming dangers."

It was signed by 40 factions, including Islamist powerhouse Ahrar al-Sham and groups that have been backed by the United States such as the Mutasem Brigades.

Some of the factions played a significant role in the rebellion since the war broke out in 2011 but most have either been sidelined by other groups or control only small pockets of land.

Mustefa Sejari, a top Mutasem Brigades figure, told AFP on Tuesday that rebels could not see Russia as an honest broker.

"From the beginning, we said whoever wants to play an intermediary and guarantor role in Syria needs to be neutral, fair, and honest in its support of political transition," Sejari said.

"Russia has not done these things -- it is a partner in the killing of the Syrian people," he added.

- Kurds insist on role -

Syria's conflict erupted in 2011 with anti-government demonstrations, but it has since morphed into a complex war drawing in world powers, including Russia.

Repeated attempts to reach a political solution to the war have failed, with the UN-backed process in Switzerland bearing little fruit.

Russia, Turkey, and Iran began hosting talks between Syria's government and armed rebels in Kazakhstan earlier this year, and announced the Sochi conference at the most recent round last week.

The United Nations has yet to firmly endorse the summit, and opposition representatives have largely been wary of it.

Syria's Kurds, which run semi-autonomous regions across the country's north, welcomed the Sochi initiative on Tuesday.

"We have a right to take part and represent our people in it," said the statement, signed by Kurdish and Christian parties as well as an alliance including the powerful Democratic Union Party (PYD).

The PYD and its armed wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), have never been invited as a separate delegation to Syrian peace talks in Geneva or Astana.

Turkey considers the PYD a "terrorist" organisation because of its links to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party and has said it would oppose any talks involving the PYD.

But even if the debate over attendees is resolved, the main stumbling block over any political solution remains the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, with much of the opposition sticking firm to calls for his ouster.

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

syria rebels reject sochi peace initiative syria rebels reject sochi peace initiative

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

syria rebels reject sochi peace initiative syria rebels reject sochi peace initiative

 



GMT 06:15 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Volkswagen clinches record sales

GMT 05:06 2024 Tuesday ,06 February

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:57 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Premier hailed on National Sport Day

GMT 15:55 2011 Thursday ,15 September

Saudi Princes attacked and robbed in Beirut

GMT 05:32 2016 Sunday ,08 May

English Premier League results

GMT 15:45 2016 Thursday ,08 December

Bagram Suicide Attack Toll Rises to 5

GMT 18:36 2012 Thursday ,01 November

Habtoor hotel shuts down

GMT 19:31 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Sheikh Hamdan snaps couple's picture in New Zealand

GMT 06:12 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Instagram, Google+ join EU group

GMT 05:06 2018 Monday ,22 January

Rocket Lab successfully sends rocket

GMT 08:52 2018 Sunday ,21 January

Brexit special trade agreement possible

GMT 07:11 2018 Friday ,19 January

Oil market heads towards 'smooth rebalancing': OPEC

GMT 18:13 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Lamborghini races to new sales record

GMT 07:19 2018 Tuesday ,16 January

Venus leads seeds tumbling out of Open

GMT 09:15 2018 Friday ,12 January

Einstein's love letters, LPs set for Asian exhibits

GMT 05:58 2018 Friday ,12 January

US revamps travel warning system, ranks countries

GMT 13:32 2018 Tuesday ,09 January

Pay Dh50 and make internet calls on Etisalat
Emiratesvoice, emirates voice
 
 Emirates Voice Facebook,emirates voice facebook  Emirates Voice Twitter,emirates voice twitter Emirates Voice Rss,emirates voice rss  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube  Emirates Voice Youtube,emirates voice youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

emiratesvoieen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen emiratesvoiceen
emiratesvoice emiratesvoice emiratesvoice
emiratesvoice
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice, Emiratesvoice