Geneva-2 Conference and Hurdles Ahead

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While little time remains till the start of international Geneva-2 conference for assisting to resolve the Syrian crisis, debates continue on Iran's participation in the event. Slated for January 22 Geneva-2 will be held with the attendance of representatives from the Syrian government and opposition and representatives of regional and trans-regional players in the Swiss city of Montreux. The conference is due to be observed by the UN and Arab League envoy Lakhdar Brahimi.

It is said that Iran's presence in the session will be determined at the meeting of the Russian and American foreign ministers in Paris. Some of the informed sources have announced that the Paris conference might reach conclusions in this regard. The US Secretary of State John Kerry has left for Paris to take part in the session of the so-called "Friends of Syria" group.

 

Having failed at the Istanbul conference, to attend the Geneva conference, the Syrian opposition has postponed the decision on participation at this conference to January 17. The Islamic Republic of Iran has stressed that political mechanism is the only solution to the Syrian crisis and has announced its readiness to participate at the international conference of peace for Syria. But the US has raised illogical expectations and preconditions for Iran's participation at the session. For instance, it has said that Iran should abide by Geneva statement; but Iran has made it clear that it will not accept any precondition for participation in the conference.

 

One of the reasons of the US opposition with Iran's participation at the Geneva-2 conference is the opposition of the Zionist lobby and some of the regional regimes like Qatar and Saudi Arabia with the issue. The Islamic Republic is strongly opposed to military intervention in Syria and has emphasized that peace and calm will be restored in Syria once support for terrorist groups is stopped. Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, in a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, said referred to the military aids of a few countries to the terrorist groups in Syria and added, "No trans-regional session lacking effective members will be able to solve Syrian problem; thus the Egneva-2 conference is already failed."

 

In view of the Islamic Republic the Syrian crisis requires Syrian-Syrian talks and any decision outside this framework will not help resolving of the issue. Geneva-2 conference, due to its American approach, is being deviated from its course and goal and if the conditions do not change there won't be any chance of reaching an acceptable result even if the conference is held at due time.

 

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