Syrian talks hit impasse as mission to Homs stalls

The Syrian opposition yesterday rejected a government proposal for the resolution of the crisis as the evacuation of civilians from and delivery of aid to the old city of Homs stalled.

In spite of the opposition's stand on the proposal and the failure to implement the humanitarian "confidence-building measures", UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi said the sides have agreed to today discuss the Geneva declaration issued in June 2012, "Geneva I".

However, he said they would not be starting with the divisive issue of the formation of a transitional body to assume executive powers and prepare for elections.

Imposed framework
Although it has signed up to the declaration, the government has submitted its own declaration of principles, saying Syrians have the right to choose their own government without submitting to an imposed framework or external intervention.

The government suggested an expanded national unity government, including opposition figures but headed by President Bashar al-Assad, whose fate would be put to the Syrian people after the end of his constitutional term on May 26th. He has said he could stand for a new term if there was popular backing for him.

The document calls for foreign powers to stop recruiting, training, arming and harbouring “terrorists” who, say officials, come from 83 countries.

Presidential adviser Bouthaina Shaaban said: “Let Syrians decide what is best for Syria. This war is not about . . . Assad, it is about Syria.”

Opposition negotiator Hadi al-Bahra rejected the declaration as being "outside the framework" of Geneva I, which "centres on creating a transitional governing body". However, this has to be mutually agreed.

The western- and Gulf Arab-backed expatriate opposition National Coalition has demanded that Mr Assad stand down ahead of the formation of the transitional body.

Mr Brahimi ended the joint morning session after the government declaration was rejected. He then held separate consultations with the delegations. In spite of the impasse, Ms Shaaban said: “We shall continue [the talks] because Syria is very important for us . . . and we want to continue talking until we find a solution.”

Transitional body
Opposition delegate Rima Fleihan said: "We are positive and . . . going to stay here until the goal of this conference has been achieved, the formation of a transitional governing body."

The deal to allow women and children trapped in the old city of Homs to leave and to allow food and medicine into the area was not implemented for several reasons.

Only 200 of the 500 women and children in the old city are prepared to leave because most are afraid to leave their male relatives behind, activists said. The government has demanded lists of men seeking to leave.

While some insurgents called for the delivery of aid to precede departures, others demanded the total lifting of the siege instead of a limited evacuation, and radical fundamentalists, brandishing the black flags of al-Qaeda factions, condemned the “Geneva II” talks as “treachery”.

Ceasefire
While the Homs ceasefire plan was worked out before the Geneva process began, Syrian officials argue its proposal for Aleppo, put forward by Damascus, could be used as a model for other conflict zones.

Journalists who visited Aleppo last week reported that civilians have begun returning to western neighbourhoods of the city and outlying districts retaken by the army as units of the rebel Free Syrian Army have been battling jihadis and the army in the eastern half.

Meanwhile, a second shipment of chemical weapons materials has been loaded on to Danish and Norwegian cargo vessels at Latakia port and taken out of the country, said the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which is organising the operation. The first shipment took place on January 7th.