Clik here to view.
Syrian government agrees to attend forthcoming peace talks but opposition coalition demands president's exit as precondition
The British government is hosting a meeting in London on Thursday of the core of the Friends of Syria group to discuss preparations for the Geneva II peace conference, which has been postponed until at least July because of the difficulties in convening it.
Foreign Office officials said the one-day session was also intended to support the opposition Syrian National Coalition in the talks with representatives of Bashar al-Assad's regime. SNC officials were not taking part.
The Syrian government has said it will attend the forthcoming peace conference. However, the opposition is in disarray, divided over whether to take part in any negotiations while Assad's departure is not recognised as a precondition.
Western diplomats acknowledge that Wednesday's capture of the central Syrian town of Qusair by government forces, supported by the Lebanese Shia militia Hezbollah, is likely to have emboldened Assad, making him less likely to consider concessions – let alone stepping down.
"Whatever comes out of the negotiating process will reflect what happens on the ground," said an official. "If you feel bolstered and upbeat you are less likely to concede anything. The Syrians will go into talks very buoyed and ready for a meaningless process – which they do so well."
The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said on Wednesday it would no longer be possible for the Geneva conference to be held this month as originally hoped. He indicated that the opposition was the main obstacle.
Under an agreement between the US and Russia last month, the goal of the negotiations, based on a formula agreed last year, is "the creation by mutual consent of a transitional governing body, which would exercise full executive powers". The US insists, however, that Assad cannot continue as president.
Senior officials from the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are taking part in the talks in London. Other founding members of the Friends of Syria have dropped out as the crisis has become increasingly intractable.
Russia and Iran, close allies of Assad, have never taken part in the forum. Egypt and other Arab countries are pushing for Iran to be invited to the Geneva conference, but the US and Britain are opposed, saying the Islamic Republic is part of the problem.
