09/01/2014 16:29
Syrian rebels to discuss peace effort in Moscow before Jan. 17
A delegation of the Syrian opposition coalition is poised to come to Moscow before January 17 to discuss the group’s participation in the forthcoming Syria peace talks, its deputy chief has confirmed, the Voice of Russia reports.
The National Syrian Coalition’s spokesperson has quoted vice president Mohammed Faruk Tayfur as saying the opposition delegation is planning to meet with Friends of Syria's foreign ministers in France on January 12, before going to Moscow where it wants to discuss with Russia its approach towards the global peace conference on Syria.
He said the group was to make up its mind on whether it would be on hand at the conference based on the outcome of the talks with the Kremlin.
Earlier reports said the opposition group was expected to announce its decision on January 17, just days ahead of the Geneva-2 conference in the town of Montreux, Swizerland, which is slated for January 22.
Syrian National Coalition’s president Ahmad al-Jarba, who has recently been re-elected for the second term, was expected to come to Moscow on January 13-14. He is also planning to go to Paris on January 12 for the meeting of the US-led Friends of Syria group.
This comes ahead of the January 13 meeting between US and Russian foreign policy veterans, John Kerry and Sergei Lavrov, who are to discuss the possibility of inviting Iran to the Syrian negotiating table, a Russian initiative staunchly opposed by Washington.
A Muslim Brotherhood member of the Coalition, Mr. Tayfur, was elected as one of the three al-Jarba’s vice presidents earlier this week.