San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
New call for talks to reach elusive political solution
UNITED NATIONS — With no progress toward ending the 10year Syrian conflict, the U.N. special envoy for Syria is calling for new international talks on concrete steps like exchanging prisoners and a nationwide ceasefire that the government and opposition could agree on to give impetus to a political solution.
Geir Pedersen told the U.N. Security Council on Friday that he believes these and other areas “of vital concern for average Syrians” have the potential to achieve common ground among Syria’s warring parties. Progress would also “promote internal and regional stability and build trust and confidence,” he said.
“This will not be easy,” Pedersen added. But he said he he senses that all key players are interested in deepening talks on a way ahead.
Pedersen said he has been in regular contact with senior officials from Russia, a close Syria ally, and the United States, which supports the opposition, before and since this month’s meeting between Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Biden. He said he has also been in regular contact with many countries on the 15member Security Council and key states in the region.
Pedersen said he will go to Rome to talk with foreign ministers at a meeting on Syria convened by Italy and the United States and soon after that he will head to Moscow. He also plans to consult Turkey and Iran — the guarantor states along with Russia in the “Astana process” aimed at ending fighting in Syria — ahead of an Astana group meeting in Kazakhstan’s capital in early July.
Since the Syrian conflict erupted in March 2011, there have been many highlevel gatherings designed to stop the fighting and guide the country to a political transition. Locations included Istanbul, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Geneva. None has made a lasting impact.
Pedersen told reporters he thinks this might be the right time to try to renew international talks because “there are a few very important developments.”
He pointed most importantly to the 15 months of relative calm on the ground in Syria, but stressed that “it is a very fragile calm, and we need to discuss how we can make sure that this does not break down.”
He also cited the collapse of Syria’s economy, the lack of movement on releasing detainees and abductees and accounting for missing persons, and the millions of Syrians forced to flee their homes.