Whilst international arrangements continue to prepare lists of terrorist organisations in Syria in response to the decisions of the Vienna 2 conference, the President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Khaled Khoja called the Al-Nusra Front to sever its ties with Al-Qaeda and requested all Syrian factions to adopt the national path which began with the revolution.

Khoja’s comments came on the eve of the meeting between the United Nations and Arab League Envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and Syrian factions in Turkey to discuss the application of the decisions of the Vienna 2 conference. Coalition sources talked of directing appeals to “Syrians misled by them or those who joined the ranks of a terrorist organisation under duress, to leave these groups”.

In the meantime, the American Secretary of State John Kerry held talks in Abu Dhabi yesterday with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel al-Jubeir. Sources reported that Kerry’s visit was within the context of efforts to form a Syrian opposition delegation to participate in talks with the regime.

The Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Paul J. Selva is making a visit to Turkey which coincides with Kerry’s tour. General Selva is holding talks with his Turkish counterpart Yaşar Güler to discuss the common efforts to combat ISIS and to establish a safe region free of terrorism.