Salem al-Muslat
Representatives of Syria’s opposition demanded direct negotiations with Damascus in the presence of an international mediator in order to reduce the confirmation time of the real intentions of the parties. On Saturday, February 25, a spokesman for the opposition of the Higher Committee on negotiations (CPSU), Salem al-Muslat, reports RIA Novosti.
“We demanded at Geneva-3 and before coming to Geneva-4. Direct talks, which we wanted to reduce the time and will become the guarantor of the real intentions of the parties,” he said.
The permanent representative of Syria to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari, in turn, said that Damascus is ready to sit down at the negotiating table only with a single delegation of the opposition which “condemns terrorism which doesn’t work on foreign agenda.
According to him, all the negotiators must condemn the attack in HOMS, Syria. “If one of them refuses to do so, we will consider them as accomplices of terrorists and act against them accordingly” — quoted Jaafari Reuters.
On 25 February a suicide bomber blew himself up near the military facilities in HOMS, Syria, under the control of the authorities of the Arab Republic. Killed, according to various estimates, from 14 to 35 people.
A day earlier, the UN special envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura has provided the delegations at the talks in Geneva, a document proposing to establish working groups on the Constitution, elections and transition of power in the Arab country. Advisor to the CPSU Yahya al-Aridi said that now waiting for a response from the representatives of Damascus on the acceptance or rejection of this proposal, reports “Interfax”.
The next round of inter-Syrian talks began in the Swiss city on 23 February. Completion expected March 3. While the opposition has no unified delegation that could act as a partner in dialogue with representatives of Damascus. Held until the meeting concerned only the format and procedures for further discussions.