Talks in Geneva: a Turkish-Saudi axis?

On 29th January 2016 peace talks between the Bashar al-Assad government and the Syrian opposition were launched in Geneva, under the patronage of the UN. They had been delayed due to lack of agreement regarding the composition of the opposition delegations. Ankara succeeded in blocking the participation of the Democratic Union Party (PYD) which represents Syrian Kurds (Russia had pushed for their participation in the talks). In parallel, the Turkish government has closely co-operated with Saudi Arabia over the participation of the High Negotiations Committee (HNC) in the talks. The HNC was set up in December 2015 in Riyadh and is composed of representatives of the Syrian National Council and radical parties such as Ahrar ash-Sham and Jaysh al-Islam, which Russia does not accept. After the Damascus Group, which is a front organisation linked to the Assad regime, the High Negotiations Committee is the major opposition force is taking part in the negotiations.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Syria talks hang in the balance http://www.europeansources.info/record/syria-talks-hang-in-the-balance/

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