SA to participate in Syrian peace talks

Minister Nkoana-Mashabane invited to conference

INTERNATIONAL Relations and Co-operation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane is to participate in the Syrian peace conference in Switzerland today, the first face-to-face meeting between the government of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition since the Syrian conflict began in 2011.

Attendance at the meeting in Montreux is by invitation only from the UN, and only 39 nations are attending, so South Africa’s participation is being regarded in diplomatic circles as recognition of the country’s influence.

Department of International Relations and Co-operation spokesman Nelson Kgwete confirmed yesterday that the minister would represent South Africa at the talks. “This meeting is mainly about finding political solutions to the crisis,” he said. “That process must be led by Syrians, and Syrian solutions must not be opposed from outside.

“There needs to be some sort of transition towards democracy in which minorities – political and ethnic – can all take part in a transitional authority.”

Kgwete said Syrians could not talk peace while war was raging, and so those outside forces contributing to the violence should stop doing so.

“That is only hardening the attitude of the Syrian government and is not helping the situation.”

Attendance at the conference has become highly controversial. UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon this week withdrew an invitation for Iran – a key ally of Assad – to attend as Syrian opposition leaders had vowed to boycott the meeting if Iran was present.

Iran and Russia, Syria’s closest allies, criticised Ban’s decision, and Iran said he had bowed to pressure, Bloomberg reported.

The rebels, the US and France said participants at the talks must accept the conclusions of the socalled Geneva I talks in 2012, which included Russia. That communiqué called on the Syrian regime and opposition to establish a tran- sitional government chosen “by mutual consent”.

Speaking yesterday, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said his country won’t take part in the talks “given the US insistence to set a precondition”, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency.

Iran accepted no preconditions during talks with Ban last week, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters yesterday, the state-run Fars news agency reported.

“We regret that Ban rescinded his invitation under pressure, and we don’t see this action as being in line with a secretary-general,” Zarif said.

Russia also criticised the UN decision. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told a media conference that rescinding the Iranian invitation was a mistake.

“All outside players who have influence in Syria should be represented at the conference,” he stated.

The latest disagreements underscore the pessimism surrounding the discussions to stop Syria’s civil war.

The two main Syrian sides are going to the talks with different goals. The opposition wants the negotiations to yield a transitional government with full powers and that Assad be denied any role. The government doesn’t see the transitional body as replacing Assad and wants him to be part of the process as head of state.