Syria foes to meet at peace talks after rocky start
Reuters
2014-01-24
Views 78
The Syria peace talks in Geneva nearly collapsed Friday.
But outside their hotel, the Syrian government delegation is given a warm welcome by supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.
The talks faltered largely on whether the Syrian government accepts an earlier protocol - dubbed Geneva 1 - that called for political transition in Syria, suggesting Assad might have to go.
Assad's Deputy Foreign Minister also complained the opposition gathered in Geneva doesn't adequately represent the rebels doing the actual fighting.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER FAISAL AL-MIQDAD, SAYING:
"Talks should always be with the widest part of the Syrian opposition…We believe that 99 percent of the Syrian opposition is not represented in the opposition that we see today in Geneva.
Excuses -- says the spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION SPOKESMAN, LOUAY SAFI, SAYING:
"They wan
But outside their hotel, the Syrian government delegation is given a warm welcome by supporters of President Bashar al-Assad.
The talks faltered largely on whether the Syrian government accepts an earlier protocol - dubbed Geneva 1 - that called for political transition in Syria, suggesting Assad might have to go.
Assad's Deputy Foreign Minister also complained the opposition gathered in Geneva doesn't adequately represent the rebels doing the actual fighting.
(SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SYRIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER FAISAL AL-MIQDAD, SAYING:
"Talks should always be with the widest part of the Syrian opposition…We believe that 99 percent of the Syrian opposition is not represented in the opposition that we see today in Geneva.
Excuses -- says the spokesman for the opposition Syrian National Coalition.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION SPOKESMAN, LOUAY SAFI, SAYING:
"They wan
Report form
RELATED VIDEOS
