BRAHIMI: SYRIA TALKS FOCUS ON EVACUATION OF HOMS

Geneva, 26 Rabiul Awwal 1435/28 January 2014 (MINA) – UN-Arab League Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi says representatives of the Syrian government and the foreign-backed opposition are still holding talks on how to help women and children leave the old city of Homs.

“The humanitarian discussions haven’t produced much, unfortunately, I told you yesterday that there was an agreement by the government that woman and children can’t come out of the Old City in Homs,” Brahimi said at his Monday news conference.

“I think they are still discussing how that should be done. I think the government is willing to make it happen but it is not easy, because there are snipers and there all sorts of problems,” he noted.

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He said no decision has been made on allowing access to aid in the city, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

“I’m afraid there isn’t much to report. In the morning we discussed a paper presented by the government – the general principles- most of these principles are already in the Geneva declaration and tomorrow we are going to talks about the Geneva declaration itself,” Brahimi pointed out.

The UN-Arab League special envoy said “no miracles” are expected but negotiations will continue as the two sides are apparently still willing to talk. Brahimi made the remarks in a news conference after the delegations present in Switzerland said the talks had hit a deadlock.

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The news came on Monday after the opposition rejected Damascus declaration of principles for negotiations. While the declaration stressed on a political system without “imposed formulas” from other countries, the foreign-backed opposition said talks should focus on the transition of power.

The Geneva II conference on Syria kicked off in the Swiss town of Montreux on January 22. It is aimed at finding a political solution to the crisis in the Arab country. The opposition and its Western supporters insist that President Bashar al-Assad must step down and a transitional government be formed in Syria. This is while Damascus has rejected the demand, arguing that the foreign-backed coalition does not represent the Syrian opposition.

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The United Nations says more than four million Syrians will be forced out of their homes in 2014 by the escalating conflict in the country that has displaced millions so far. (T/P01/E01).

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)