Page 8 - ATD16APRIL2016

A8
WORLD NEWSSaturday 16 April 2016
Syria government team joins peace talks amid Aleppo clashesÂ
JAMEY KEATEN
PHILIP ISSA
Associated Press
GENEVA (AP) — The U.N.’s
special envoy to Syria met
with a government del-
egation as part of peace
talks in Geneva on Friday
as humanitarian workers
warned that fighting in
Syria’s north was triggering
a new wave of civilian dis-
placement.
Syria’s U.N. ambassador
Bashar Ja’afari said he had
“constructive and fruitful”
discussions with Special En-
voy Staffan de Mistura and
said his delegation pro-
posed “amendments” to
the de Mistura’s blueprint
for negotiations.
Ja’afari’s brief comments
to reporters suggested the
government is still focus-
ing on the basic principles
toward a political solution
in Syria, and not yet willing
to consider what de Mis-
tura calls the “mother of
all issues” — political tran-
sition away from President
Bashar Assad’s rule.
De Mistura met with dele-
gates from the High Nego-
tiations Committee, an um-
brella opposition coalition
backed by the U.S., Saudi
Arabia, and other Western
powers, later in the day.
Islamic leaders pledge to combat terrorism, sectarianismÂ
DOMINIQUE SOGUEL
AYSE WIETING
Associated Press
ISTANBUL (AP) — A two-day
summit bringing together
leaders of the Islamic world
concluded in the Turk-
ish city of Istanbul with a
pledge to combat terror-
ism and overcome sectar-
ian divide.
The final declaration Friday
expressed strong condem-
nation of the Islamic State
group and the role of Iran
and its proxies in regional

Syrian chief negotiator Bashar al-Jaafari, Ambassador of the Permanent Representative Mission ers and the Islamic State
of the Syria to UN New York, speaks to the media during a briefing after a round of negotiation group, according to the
between the Syrian government and the UN Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria Staf- New York-based Human
fan de Mistura, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, Friday, Rights Watch.
April 15, 2016. Medicins Sans Frontieres,
also known as MSF or Doc-
(Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP) tors Without Borders, said
it was “extremely worried”
The committee said it was lution but it’s seeking a mili- lamic State group through- about their security and
distrustful of the govern- tary solution that will bring out Syria, and especially in access to health care. The
ment’s intentions. destruction to the whole its north. international medical relief
HNC representative Asaad country.” Around 30,000 displaced organization said it knew of
al-Zoubi blasted the gov- The discussions came as persons have fled from their just five operating hospitals
ernment for “sending a fighting escalated be- shelters near the Turkish in the Azaz district, where
strong message that it tween pro-government border as battles intensified much of the violence is
doesn’t want a political so- forces, rebels, and the Is- between opposition fight- concentrated.
Muskilda Zancada, head
of the MSF mission in Syria,
said the situation on the
ground “remains very un-
predictable.”
Opposition groups in the
north are also under re-
newed pressure from pro-
government forces, which
have launched a new
offensive to besiege the
rebel-held part of Aleppo,
Syria’s largest city.
Commanders of the reb-
el Free Syrian Army said
government forces are
preparing an offensive on
Aleppo, and opposition
fighters are waiting to see
if world powers can keep
a tenuous cease-fire afloat
before deciding whether
to continue supporting
peace talks in Geneva. q

conflicts. overcome our difficulties aimed at increasing coop- and “deplored Iran’s inter-
Turkish President Recep without achieving unity in eration against terrorism. ference” and “continued
Tayyip Erdogan, who spite of our differences,” The Istanbul meeting drew support for terrorism” not
chaired the final session said the Turkish leader dur- representatives from across only in Syria but also Bah-
of the Organization of the ing the closing ceremony the Muslim world, including rain, Yemen, and Somalia.
Islamic Cooperation sum- after delegates took a King Salman of Saudi Ara- At the sidelines of the sum-
mit, lamented the fact that break to perform Friday bia and Iranian President mit, regional Sunni powers
Muslim countries who are prayers. Erdogan also said Hassan Rouhani, whose Turkey and Saudi Arabia
“the heirs of a civilization the establishment of an countries have squared off signed a memorandum to
that was built on columns international arbitration in Yemen and Syria. create a bilateral coop-
of peace and justice are body in Istanbul is part of The final declaration ex- eration council. The two
being remembered more the OIC 2025 action plan pressed hope that negotia- countries are aligned in
for wars, armed conflict, and welcomed a decision tions that started in Geneva their support for rebel fac-
sectarianism and terror- reached a day earlier to on April 13 would contrib- tions opposed to the gov-
ism.” create a Turkey-based po- ute to resolving “the Syrian ernment of Syrian President
“As Muslims, we cannot lice coordination center crisis as soon as possible” Bashar Assad.q