Kerry, Lavrov Hopeful Geneva Meeting Will Help Revive Syria Transition Talks
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Date: 9/13/2013 5:03:35 AM
Sender: VOA
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U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, left, walk with the U.N.-Arab League envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, center, into a meeting in Geneva, Sept. 13, 2013.
GENEVA — U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov say talks in Geneva on ending Syria＇s chemical weapons program could help revive efforts toward a political transition to end the civil war.
Kerry says "constructive" talks on containing and destroying Syrian chemical weapons have included some of the "homework" that he and Foreign Minister Lavrov need to do to get Syria＇s warring factions to a conference on a transitional government.
"We＇ve both agreed to do that homework and meet again in New York around the time of the U.N. General Assembly, around the 28th, in order to see if it is possible then to find a date for that conference much of which will obviously depend on the capacity to have success here in the next day, hours, days on the subject of the chemical weapons" he said.
Lavrov says progress on Syrian chemical weapons could help open the way for a political transition.
"The Syrian parties must reach mutual consent on the transitional governing organ which would command full executive authority. And the communique also says that all groups of Syrian society must be represented," he said.
Kerry and Lavrov spoke to reporters Friday after meeting with the U.N. special representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, who is trying to organize this conference known as Geneva Two.
"It is extremely important in itself and for itself, but it is also extremely important for us working with you on trying to bring together the Geneva Two conference successfully," Brahimi said.
That conference has been repeatedly delayed by confusion within the Syrian opposition and by disagreement over what other nations might attend. Russia believes Iran should take part in those talks. Washington opposes Tehran＇s participation because its forces are advising and supplying Syrian troops.
It is not clear how these talks on chemical weapons might resolve those outstanding differences over a Geneva Two conference, but Kerry says he is hopeful this initiative "could pay off and bring peace and stability to a war-torn part of the world."
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has formally applied to join an international convention banning the use of chemical weapons but says that can not be "brought to the final stage" while his country is under the threat of a U.S. missile strike.
U.S. President Barack Obama says he retains the right to use force to degrade Syria＇s ability to use chemical weapons following an August attack outside Damascus that Washington blames on Assad forces.
Russian President Vladimir Putin says there is "every reason" to believe that opposition fighters were responsible for that chemical weapon attack in a bid to provoke outside military action. In an opinion piece in The New York Times newspaper, he warned against a U.S. military strike on Syria saying that "would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism."
Executions blamed on Syrian forces
A prominent human rights group says Syrian government-linked forces executed at least 248 people, including women and children, following clashes with opposition fighters in two towns earlier this year.
Human Rights Watch says the killings in the coastal towns of al-Bayda and Baniyas were among the "deadliest instances of mass summary executions" during Syria＇s two and a half year-long civil war.
The group＇s report says the executions followed clashes between government and rebel forces on May 2-3. After opposition fighters retreated, the report said Assad fighters entered homes, rounded up men from each neighborhood, and shot them execution style.
Human Rights Watch documented at least 23 women and 14 children, including infants, it says were killed by government forces in al-Bayda. It said in both towns, government or pro-government forces executed, or tried to execute, entire families.
Syria＇s government has admitted to killing "terrorists," its name for rebels, and possibly committing what it called "mistakes" during the military operation in the two towns. But Human Rights Watch says the "overwhelming majority" were executed after the clashes had ended.
Joe Stork, Human Rights Watch＇s acting Middle East director, says the executions show that the world "shouldn＇t forget that Syrian government forces have used conventional means to slaughter civilians."
Human Rights Watch said in its report that the U.N. Security Council should "ensure accountability for these crimes by referring the situation to the International Criminal Court." |
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