Bashar al-Assad: Geneva Peace Talks Have Yielded No Results

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that the peace negotiations for Syria, mediated by the United Nations, have yielded 'nothing' after three years, as the opposition figures present at the talks do not represent any significant movement and are merely making noise. According to the Associated Press, Assad's remarks were made on Monday, December 18, following the latest round of peace talks in Geneva, which ended last week without any progress, leaving the civil war in the country ongoing, a conflict that has lasted nearly seven years. At the end of the negotiations, UN envoy for Syria, Stefan de Mistura, directed sharp criticism at Assad's government, stating that the failure of these talks is largely due to Damascus's behavior. He also referred to the talks as a 'missed opportunity.' However, Assad, speaking to reporters, expressed a fundamental lack of enthusiasm for the UN-mediated negotiations. He added, 'We definitely believe that anything else is better than the Geneva talks, as they have yielded no results after three years.' The report indicates that Assad praised alternative talks expected to be held in Sochi, Russia, a country that is one of Damascus's key military allies and has significantly altered the conditions in favor of Assad through its intervention in the Syrian civil war. According to Assad, the Sochi meeting will be a test to determine whether Syria needs a new constitution or if the current constitution should be amended. He also mentioned that discussions about parliamentary elections might take place during these negotiations. Syrian opposition representatives who attended the Geneva talks criticized the Sochi meeting, claiming that Damascus and its allies are attempting to find an alternative plan for peace talks supported by the international community.