Iran Invited to Geneva 2, Syrian Opposition Threatens to Withdraw
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Iran has been officially invited to participate in the Geneva 2 Syria conference on January 22, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. This comes as the so-called "Syrian National Coalition" has threatened to withdraw from the talks, unless Iran's invitation is revoked.
The UN chief also said that he had assurances from Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif that Tehran would play a "constructive role" in solving the crisis in Syria.
"I believe strongly that Iran needs to be part of the solution to the Syrian crisis," Ban told reporters today in New York after discussions with Iranian officials. "Iran said that they are committed to play a very constructive and important and positive role."
This comes as the US State Department has expressed its "explicit and public support for the full implementation of the Geneva communiqué including the establishment of a transitional governing body by mutual consent with full executive authorities."
"If Iran does not fully and publicly accept the Geneva communiqué, the invitation must be rescinded," State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
"Foreign Minister Zarif and I agree that the goal of the negotiations is to establish, by mutual consent, a transitional governing body with full executive powers," Ban said. "It was on that basis that Foreign Minister Zarif pledged that Iran would play a positive and constructive role in Montreux."
Representatives of Iran and 39 other countries will attend talks in Montreux, Switzerland in advance of negotiations in Geneva starting January 24. Ban also has invited nine other nations on Saturday that have an interest in the Syrian conflict, saying that their presence would be an important display of solidarity. These include representatives of Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Greece, the Holy See, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea.
"The Syrian Coalition announces that they will withdraw their attendance in Geneva 2 unless Ban Ki-moon retracts Iran's invitation," he reported, citing "SNC" spokesman Louay Safi's statement on Twitter.
Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Saturday that participants of the conference must adopt a "realistic view."
"Participants in the Geneva 2 forum must adopt a realistic view and remember that their decisions should not lead to the strengthening of extremist movements in Syria," Abdollahian said during the talks with French Deputy Foreign Minister Jean-Francois Girault, the ISNA news agency reported on Sunday.
"The forum can provide a political solution providing the people of Syria can decide the future of their country... in a democratic solution that will be manifested in their votes," Abdollahian added.
Iran has repeatedly stated that it is willing to attend the talks without any preconditions. "We insist that Iran will not accept any preconditions to attend Geneva 2," Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif reiterated on Saturday.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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