Syrian opposition may form single delegation to Geneva talks - Russian expert
MOSCOW. Feb 20 (Interfax) - There is a chance of forming a single delegation of the Syrian opposition to the intra-Syrian talks in Geneva; that will depend on the ability of opposition activists to avoid sabotage of the forthcoming round, academic head of the Russian Academy of Sciences Institute of Oriental Studies, Academician Vitaly Naumkin told Interfax in an interview.
"There is a chance for forming a single delegation of the opposition. The most active process involving domestic and external opposition groups is underway," he said.
"The question is whether the opposition manages to formulate a common stance at the negotiations by means of forming a single delegation, which will prevent them from sorting out their own relations instead of conducting negotiations with the Damascus delegation in a consolidated and calm manner. This is a very serious problem," he said.
"As to the single delegation, Saudi Arabian representatives would like the High Negotiations Committee formed under their aegis to become its foundation and to involve representatives of other platforms and groups in some way," Naumkin said.
They and some Western partners of Russia would like to bar from the Geneva negotiating process certain heads of the platforms designated by the UN Security Council, the expert said.
"For its part, Russia believes, relying on resolution 2254, that the process should be inclusive and every existent platform should be incorporated into the delegation, that is, the Moscow platform led by Qadri Jamil, the Cairo platform, the Astana platform led by Randa Kassis, and, possibly, a representative of the so-called domestic opposition (the Hmeimim group)," he said.
