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International Deliberations Increase before Geneva | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Meetings in Paris on the Syrian crisis- A.F.P


Meetings in Paris on the Syrian crisis- A.F.P

Meetings in Paris on the Syrian crisis- A.F.P

Beirut- Days ahead of the scheduled Geneva negotiations, leaders of France, Britain, Germany, and Russia exchanged phone call sessions during which they deliberated on the Syrian crisis. The Kremlin stated that the four leaders had agreed that the ceasefire in Syria has already begun to witness positive results that herald a political solution for the war-torn country. On the other hand, London dispatched a statement that the three European leaders urged their peer President Vladimir Putin on the necessity of taking advantage of the current truce in Syria to finally arrive at a perpetual peace accord that does not include Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

British Prime Minister David Cameron’s official spokeswoman said: “The call was initiated by the European leaders because we want to take the opportunity that has been created by the truce in recent days to open the path for more substantive peace process and negotiations.

“The main point that the European leaders made on the call to Putin was that we welcome the fact that this fragile truce appears to be holding. We have got to use this as a positive dynamic now to create some momentum behind the talks which we hope will get under way next week, so that we can move from a truce into a more lasting durable peace with a political transition away from Assad.

“President Putin agreed that the main task was now to maintain compliance with the truce and to make sure that it will stand and then to get people around the table in Geneva next week for the talks on transition.
“They also spoke about the importance of allowing humanitarian aid to reach besieged towns.”

On their behalf, the foreign ministers of France, Britain, and Germany convened at a meeting to discuss the importance of guaranteeing the delivery of humanitarian aid and relief to Syria as a core pillar for any progress at the peace talks.

As for Riyad Hijab chair of the Riyadh-based High Negotiations Committee (HNC), he said on Friday, in Paris, “Circumstances now are not convenient” for the appeal of peace talks in Geneva on March 9. Hijab stated that none of the Syrian Opposition requests have yet been met, referring to the impeding of relief and aid from arriving to barricaded areas.

Jaysh al-Islam, an opposition force in Syria, denied all proclamations made by the Russian Ministry of Defense that its factions are joining the ceasefire initiative in Syria.