UN: Syrian Peace Talks Likely to be Delayed

The spokesperson for the UN special envoy for resolving the Syrian crisis said on Thursday, January 21, that the Syrian peace talks are likely to be held with a few days delay. According to AFP, Jessy Shaheen, spokesperson for Stefan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for the Syrian crisis, stated that the negotiations scheduled to begin on January 25 will be postponed for a few days due to logistical reasons. The spokesperson emphasized in an email to AFP that efforts to hold the conference according to the original schedule continue and that progress will be reassessed in the next two days. The negotiations between representatives of the Syrian government and its opponents were set to take place in Geneva on Monday to participate in the peace process and form a transitional government. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry mentioned on Thursday during the Davos meeting in Switzerland that the meeting might be delayed by one or two days due to issues with sending invitations, but such a delay would not be long, and the negotiation process would begin on January 25 to allow for an assessment of the positions of the parties involved. As the meeting of opposition representatives and Syrian government representatives is set to begin on Monday, the question of which opposition groups can participate remains a major point of contention. According to AFP, the 'High Negotiations Committee', which is supposed to serve as the main body of opposition groups in these negotiations, announced on Wednesday that it has appointed its delegation for the talks. The committee has designated a member of the 'Jaish al-Islam' group as the head of the negotiating team, a move that has drawn widespread criticism both within and outside the committee. Some opposition groups claim that the 'High Negotiations Committee' has not allowed them to participate in this negotiating body. The 'National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change', one of the main opposition factions still present in Damascus, has stated that such a selection is unacceptable. Haytham Mana, an opposition figure, has also accused the 'National Negotiations Committee' of appointing war criminals as members of the negotiating team.