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Melting of Geneva Frost… The Ball is in the Court of the Government Delegation
According to the latest news from Geneva, a new qualitative progress has been made in the negotiation process. SNC [Syrian Negotiating Committee of the revolutionary forces and the Syrian opposition] issued a press release today (Tuesday, 12/12/2017) in which the preconditions were set aside, as is clear from the text of the press release:
“The position of the delegation of the SNC in its dialogue with the delegation representing the regime in Geneva stems from ending the humanitarian catastrophe and ensuring a safe and neutral environment that will allow the return of the Syrians to their country with dignity and respect, and reaching a comprehensive, democratic and fundamental change.
We cannot forget that all negotiation processes are based on the principle of consensus, however, being the sons of the revolution, rather than just politicians, we strive to give the upper hand to the people and to bring them back the authority throughout the full implementation of UNSCR 2254, without any preconditions. We shall do whatever it takes to accomplish that.
We therefore believe that the remaining week of the current Geneva round is a serious opportunity to start direct negotiations, and we call on the regime to engage seriously.”
This open declaration of the abandonment of preconditions, places the ball in the court of the government delegation, as the latter no longer has any reason not to engage in direct negotiations, which objectively means ending the stalemate that characterized the eighth round [of Geneva Peace Talks], in its whole first part, and in its second part so far. This also means that the door is now wide open to reach a consensus on the implementation of the Resolution 2254.
No matter who has kindled the fire in Geneva cold winter, and how – this is left for the coming days to tell – what is more important now is that this rationality to take hold and overshadow the whole negotiating scene, so that it becomes the dominant trend, and not to submit to the blackmail of the extremists from here and there. What happened is in agreement with the interest of the vast majority of Syrians – proponents and opponents. It is a triumph of the Syrian rationalism, and also agrees with the new international balance as the main engine of the overall processes taking place in today's world.
Kassioun’s Political Editor, 12 – 12 – 2017.
