US Welcomes Syrian Opposition's Decision to Participate in Geneva Talks

On Friday, February 9, US Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed the decision of the "High Negotiations Committee," the main opposition group to the Syrian government, to participate in the Geneva peace talks. According to AFP, Kerry stated in a statement that Washington "welcomes this important decision" by the Syrian opposition, emphasizing that the US continues to seek the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 by all parties involved in the negotiations, particularly regarding the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid to besieged areas in Syria. The "High Negotiations Committee" announced on Friday that it would participate in the Syrian peace talks in Geneva. While the peace talks began in Geneva with representatives of Bashar al-Assad's government on Friday, the day before, officials from the "High Negotiations Committee" had announced that they would not participate in the talks until Resolution 2254 was implemented. This committee demands an end to bombings and the lifting of the economic siege on cities by the Syrian government before the negotiations begin. The "High Negotiations Committee" consists of political and armed groups opposing Bashar al-Assad's government, formed during the Riyadh meeting in Saudi Arabia to participate in the Syrian peace talks. Staffan de Mistura, the UN special envoy for the Syrian crisis, had invited the "High Negotiations Committee" to participate in the indirect peace talks in Geneva. According to Reuters, the "High Negotiations Committee" announced late Friday that it would participate in the Syrian peace talks in Geneva, given the guarantees it received regarding the implementation of the Security Council resolution. Salim al-Meslet, the spokesperson for the "High Negotiations Committee," told Al Arabiya that the committee would head to Geneva the next day to seek a negotiated solution to the issues and difficulties faced by the people in the country. Reports indicate that the "High Negotiations Committee" has published a list of three thousand male and female prisoners held by Bashar al-Assad's government and demanded their release. Staffan de Mistura stated on Friday at the opening of this round of negotiations in Geneva that he had not yet received an official response from the "High Negotiations Committee," but he expects to meet with this committee on Sunday. According to the Security Council resolution, the opposition groups and government representatives are expected to agree on the formation of a transitional government, after which elections will be held in this war-torn country. According to Reuters, at least 260,000 people have been killed in the Syrian civil war, and millions have been displaced.