With a new round of peace talks looming, the U.N. special envoy for Syria says he has a message for the country’s people: “Raise your voice.”
“You have seen enough conferences, two of them (have) already taken place,” envoy Staffan de Mistura said in a video message released by the United Nations on Thursday. “This one cannot fail.”
But whether the peace talks will go forward in Geneva, and who will be at the table, remains uncertain. A Friday start for the talks appears increasingly unlikely.
A source close to the talks said the High Negotiations Committee might arrive “hopefully later.” The umbrella opposition group comprises Syrian political opposition groups.
Earlier, a source with knowledge of the talks had said the opposition committee’s representatives would not make it to Geneva by Friday.
Invitations had gone out only to the HNC and the Syrian government, the source said.
The HNC — the main Syrian opposition group — had threatened to boycott unless the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad lifts sieges and stops bombarding civilians.
The head of the committee told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that they were awaiting a response from the United Nations about those points.
“We told Mr. de Mistura that these principles are above the negotiation, that they are final (and) cannot be discussed or compromised,” said Riyad Hijab, head of the High Negotiations Committee.
The government delegation is expected to arrive in Geneva in a few hours, but Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem is not expected to be there, the source said.
The talks were originally set to begin in Geneva on Monday, but were delayed because of ongoing discussions about who should represent the opposition, de Mistura told reporters this week.
There are Kurds invited, but as observers — not to negotiate. The opposition committee and the government are the only ones empowered to negotiate.
Opposition to regime
Past efforts to negotiate an end to the conflict have been hindered by strong opposition to the Assad regime, which is perceived as brutal, and by the fractured nature of the opposition, which includes ISIS as well as more moderate groups supported by the United States.
The plan for new negotiations calls for proximity talks, which means the parties will be in separate rooms, with de Mistura shuttling between them.
‘We need to hear your voice’
The talks would mark the first time in two years that the warring sides in Syria meet in an effort to find a political way out.
De Mistura’s video message Thursday said the talks would start “in the next few days.” Syrians on all sides, he said, should make sure their representatives know how important it is to strike a deal.
“We need to hear your voice to everyone who is coming to this conference … saying this conference must be an opportunity not to be missed,” de Mistura said.