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UP FRONTSaturday 30 January 2016
UN-hosted Syria peace talks off to shaky start AP: Iran flies unarmed military
BASSEM MROUE
JAMEY KEATEN
Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — Peace
talks aimed at ending Syr-
ia’s five-year civil war got
off to a shaky and cha-
otic start Friday, with the
main opposition group at
first boycotting the ses-
sion, then later agreeing to
meet with U.N. officials —
while still insisting it would
Syrian chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari, Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission of
the Syria to UN New York, sits after arriving for the round of negotiation between the Syrian govern-
ment and the opposition in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Jan. 29, 2016.
not negotiate.
That small commitment by
the group known as the
Higher Negotiating Com-
mittee came just minutes
before U.N. special envoy
Staffan de Mistura met with
a delegation representing
the government of Presi-
dent Bashar Assad.
The developments gave
a glimmer of hope that
peace efforts in Syria might
actually get off the ground
for the first time since two
earlier rounds of negotia-
tions collapsed in 2014.
The conflict has killed
at least 250,000 people,
forced millions to flee the
country, and given an
opening to the Islamic
State group to capture ter-
ritory in Syria and Iraq. It has reasons to believe — I will
drawn in U.S. and Russia,
as well as regional powers
such as Turkey, Saudi Ara-
bia and Iran.
The HNC, a Saudi-backed
bloc, had previously said
it would not participate in
the U.N.-sponsored talks
without an end to the
bombardment of civilians
by Russian and Syrian gov-
ernment forces, a lifting of
blockades in rebel-held ar-
eas and the release of de-
tainees.
An HNC statement said the
opposition decided to take
part in the talks after receiv- backer of the group — had
ing assurances from friend-
ly countries about those
humanitarian issues, and
that a delegation headed
by HNC chief Riad Hijab will
leave Saudi Arabia for Ge-
neva on Saturday.
Only once their conditions
are met will they negotiate,
the statement added.
De Mistura said he had
“good reason to believe”
the HNC would join the
talks Sunday, but refused to
react formally until he got
an official notice from its
leadership.
“As you can imagine, I have
been hearing rumors and
information already,” de
Mistura told reporters after
meeting with the delega-
tion led by Syria’s U.N. am-
bassador, Bashar Ja’afari.
“What I will react to —
that’s why I said I have
only react when I get a for-
mal indication of that,” de
Mistura said, “But that is a
good signal.”
Speaking almost simulta-
neously at a hotel across
town, HNC member Farah
Atassi told reporters its del-
drone over a US aircraft carrier
egation would arrive Sat-
urday only to talk to U.N. NASSER KARIMI
officials about its demands JON GAMBRELL
after receiving some reas- Associated Press
surances from the U.N., but TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran flew a surveillance drone
“not to negotiate.” over a U.S. aircraft carrier and published video of
The decision came after the encounter Friday, the latest in a series of edgy
many Western powers and naval incidents between the two countries in the
Saudi Arabia — a major Persian Gulf after the recent nuclear deal.
While the U.S. Navy stressed it knew the drone was
pushed hard for the HNC to unarmed and the flyover didn’t interrupt U.S. op-
attend, diplomats said. erations in the war against the Islamic State group,
Disputes have arisen over the incident underlined the continued tension over
control of waterways crucial to global oil supplies.
It follows a rocket test last month by the Islamic Re-
public near coalition warships and commercial traf-
fic, as well as Iran’s brief capture of American sailors
who strayed into its territorial waters.
(Martial Trezzini/Keystone via AP) Iranian state television and the semi-official Fars
news agency, which has close ties to the Revolu-
which opposition parties tionary Guard, published identical images Friday
will attend, with the HNC both said came from the drone. The footage, which
coming under criticism for The Associated Press could not independently verify,
including the militant Army purported to show the drone being launched and
of Islam group, which con- then hovering over an unidentified aircraft carrier, a
trols wide areas near the targeting bracket briefly passing over a jet parked
capital of Damascus, and on the deck below.
is considered a terrorist or- The Iranian reports suggested the footage was from
ganization by the Syrian Friday. However, Cmdr. Kevin Stephens, a spokes-
government and Russia. man for the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet based in Bahrain,
The largest Kurdish group said an unarmed Iranian drone flew near the French
in Syria, the Democratic aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and “directly
Union Party or PYD, is not over” the USS Harry S. Truman on Jan. 12 as the ves-
invited to the talks. Turkey sels were in international waters in the Persian Gulf.
considers the PYD to be a He said the Navy launched a helicopter that de-
terrorist organization. Also termined the drone wasn’t armed and “posed no
not invited are the Islamic danger to the ship” as the carrier wasn’t conducting
State group and the al-Qa- flight operations at the time. His comments implied
ida-linked Nusra Front. that had there been active takeoffs and landings of
Opposition figures from U.S. aircraft, the situation might have changed.
outside the HNC also are in Stephens called the drone’s flight “abnormal and
Geneva, but they were in- unprofessional.” He added that the U.S. Navy was
vited as advisers. “not in a position to verify the authenticity of the vid-
The meetings, billed as eo as there are countless examples of similar foot-
multiparty talks, are part age to be found on the Internet.”
of a process outlined in a The nuclear-powered USS Harry S. Truman, based
U.N. resolution last month out of Norfolk, Virginia, is in the Persian Gulf region
that envisions an 18-month launching airstrikes and supporting operations
timetable for a political against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria.
transition in Syria, including Adm. Habibollah Sayyari, the commander of Iran’s
the drafting of a new con- navy, called the drone overflight “a sign of bravery.”
stitution and elections.q It “allowed our men to go so close to the warship
and shoot such a beautiful and accurate footage
of the combat units of the foreign forces,” he told
state television. State television and the state-run
IRNA news agency said an Iranian light submarine
also participated in the surveillance operation.
When asked about the presence of a submarine,
Stephens said: “Iran has several submarines ... for its
current exercise,” but declined to discuss specifics.
In Washington, U.S. Navy spokesman Cmdr. William
Marks stressed America remains ready to use force if
necessary. “We are confident in our force’s ability to
respond appropriately as the situation dictates and
will defend ourselves should that prove necessary,”
he said.
Iran’s navy began a naval drill this week over a
3-million-square-kilometer (1.16-million-square-mile)
area including parts of the Strait of Hormuz, the Gulf
of Oman and the Indian Ocean. q