Politics
12:27, 31-Jan-2018
Sochi talks ‘hopeful’ after Geneva vain: Syrian Ambassador to China
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By CGTN’s The Point
After years for rounds of Geneva talks up for peace in war-torn Syria, the mechanism has been questioned over its political monopoly while Sochi steps set on Tuesday are hailed as “de-escalation talks” optimistic to the Middle East country.
Some 1,600 people have been invited to Russia’s diplomatic resort this week to hammer out a “comprehensive political solution” to end the seven-year war in Syria.
As a guest speaker on CGTN’s The Point (@thepointwithlx), Imad Moustapha, Syrian Ambassador to China, dismissed the UN peace talks “supposed to be neutral and objective” as failed mechanism muddled with “foreign intervention and dictated agenda” that are against Syrian people’s will.
“The UN is controlled by the powers who imposed the Geneva talks,” Moustapha said. “They gave themselves the right to say who is the [Syria’s] opposition and who is not.”
He continued saying that nothing would change in the ground of Syria even full agreements are reached with opposition groups.
Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters in New York City, US, February 28, 2017. / Reuters Photo)
Russian Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov speaks during a United Nations Security Council meeting at UN headquarters in New York City, US, February 28, 2017. / Reuters Photo)
Rounds of UN-backed peace negotiations have been held with little progress made for years. Moustapha pointed out Geneva talks are in lack of “popular constituency” for Syria as its attendees are “disconnected” with Syrian people in suffering.
“They are paid and manipulated by certain political backers who have already set their own Syria agenda,” he noted.
Talking about the Sochi congress, Moustapha described it as “comprehensive and inclusive,” adding that it is based on “the choice of Syrian people” and provide a whole spectrum of Syrian people.
Meanwhile, the Syrian Negotiation Commission, the country’s leading opposition group, said following the talks in Vienna on Thursday and Friday that it would not attend the Sochi meeting.
The Point with Liu Xin is a 30-minute current affairs program on CGTN. It airs weekdays at 9.30 p.m. BJT (1330GMT), with rebroadcasts at 5.30 a.m. (2130GMT) and 10.30 a.m. (0230GMT).