Syrian government and opposition jockey ahead of Geneva II
As preparations continue for the Geneva II conference, both the Syrian opposition and the regime seem increasingly divided over their respective positions on the talks.
The Syrian scene is getting more blurry and complicated as political and diplomatic efforts compete with military battles for gains on the ground prior to the Geneva II conference, for which a date has yet to be agreed upon.
On Nov. 11, the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) announced its readiness to participate in the conference on the condition that it leads to the formation of a transitional authority with full powers and that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not have a role in the transitional phase.
Saleh Mubarak, a member of the SNC, revealed in a Skype interview with Al-Monitor that international parties are exerting pressure on the coalition to participate in Geneva II. He said that he supported the coalition's position to attend the conference "provided that Assad has no part in the future of Syria."
It is worth noting that Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov visited Istanbul Nov. 13 to meet with the SNC leadership. Mubarak clarified that SNC head Ahmad Jarba did not attend the meeting, which aimed to assess the opposition's position after it decided to participate in Geneva II.
