Geneva peace talks on Syria (2017)

The Geneva peace talks on Syria in 2017, also called the Geneva IV, V, VI, VII, & VIII talks, were peace negotiations between the Syrian government and the Syrian opposition under the auspices of the United Nations.[1] The Geneva IV talks took place between 23 February and 3 March 2017, trying to resolve the Syrian Civil War.[2] The Geneva VII talks began on 10 July 2017.[3] The Geneva VIII talks were initially scheduled to begin on 28 November 2017.[4]

Geneva IV conference on Syria
The Palais des Nations (United Nations Office at Geneva) in October 2010.
Genre	Peace conference
Begins	23 February 2017
Ends	3 March 2017 (1 week and 1 day)
Location(s)	Montreux and Geneva
Country	Switzerland
Organized by	United Nations

The warring sides did not get to face-to-face negotiations, but for eight days no party walked away, while Russia talked with the parties separately.[5]

Preparations

On 1 February 2017, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura stated that the schedule for the Geneva IV conference on Syria will be moved from 8 to 20 February. He warned the Syrian opposition to select a delegation by 8 February, otherwise he would select them himself. The statement was quickly condemned by opposition representatives, including Riyad Farid Hijab, head of the High Negotiations Committee.[6]

On 10 February, the Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov called for a direct conference between the government and the opposition, in contrast with the indirect talks held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 23 to 24 January. He also called for the Democratic Union Party (PYD) to participate in the talks. This proposal was rejected by Turkey.[7] On 12 February, 3 Kurdish National Council officials joined the 21-member National Coalition delegation headed by Naser al-Hariri.[8]

On 22 February, the day before the planned talks, Staffan de Mistura stated that the peace conference would be based on United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254. The resolution called for the end of attacks on civilians, the exclusion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the al-Nusra Front, the establishment of a multiethnic society that include all religious and ethnic groups in Syria, the creation of a new constitution of Syria, and the conduction of a free and fair election within 18 months.[2]

Participants

• United Nations[9]
  • UN envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura
  • United Nations Security Council
  • International Syria Support Group
• Syrian Arab Republic representative Bashar Jaafari
• High Negotiations Committee (21 members) – led by Naser al-Hariri[8]
  • National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces
    • 3 Kurdish National Council delegates – Abdul Hakim Bashar, Fuad Aliko, and Hawas Sadoon[10]
  • Al-Rahman Legion political leader Mutasim Shmeir[11]
• 2 opposition groups based in Cairo and supported by Russia[12]
  • "Cairo group" led by Jihad Makdissi[13]
• Russian Special Envoy to Syria Alexander Lavrentiev[14]

Formal start of talks

The conference officially began on 23 February 2017. The Syrian opposition representatives arrived late due to disagreements between the various opposition blocs.[12] The government and opposition delegates faced each other but did not directly speak to one another on the first day.[15]

On 25 February, Tahrir al-Sham suicide bombers attacked the headquarters of the Syrian military intelligence in Homs, killing dozens of security forces, including the head of the military security in Homs. In response, the rebel-controlled neighbourhood of Waer was bombed by the Syrian Air Force, and more than 50 civilians were wounded. The UN condemned the attacks and called them "deliberate" attempts to stall the negotiations at Geneva.[16]

Formal conclusion of Geneva IV

The Geneva IV talks officially concluded on 3 March 2017. The talks achieved no breakthrough but concluded with an "agreed agenda" and both parties claimed small successes. Unlike previous, failed attempts, no delegation walked away during the conferences. The next round of talks in Astana was scheduled to be on 14 March, and the Geneva V conference would begin on 20 March. These newly planned talks would focus on a "political transition" in Syria.[5]

Aftermath

On 29 March 2017, the Kurdish National Council withdrew from the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee in protest of the HNC's policies. An official in the Kurdish Unity Party, part of the KNC, stated that "The Syrian opposition are against federalism and constitutional Kurdish national rights, and they want to delay discussing Kurdish rights in the future."[17] On 1 April, the KNC declared that all resolutions and documents resulting from further talks which the KNC will be absent from will be non-binding.[10]

References

1. Geneva, United Nations Office of. "Where global solutions are shaped for you | News & Media | Intra-Syrian Peace Process". www.unog.ch. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
2. "Syria's warring sides brought together for Geneva talks". BBC. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
3. "Geneva-7 round of Syria talks kicks off". Mehr News Agency. 10 July 2017. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
4. Correspondent, Sami Moubayed (27 November 2017). "Explainer: All you need to know about Geneva 8 talks". GulfNews. Archived from the original on 28 May 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
5. "Syria talks may surprise by meeting the low bar of expectations". ARA News. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
6. "Syria opposition: UN envoy cannot form delegation for peace talks". AFP. 2 February 2017. Archived from the original on 5 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
7. "Russia pushes hard to include Syria's Kurds in Geneva talks". Rudaw. 10 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
8. "Three KNC officials to join Syria peace talks in Geneva". ARA News. 13 February 2017. Archived from the original on 23 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.
9. "UN chief Guterres urges Syrians at Geneva negotiations to seek political solution; Envoy to meet with parties on work plan". United Nations. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 28 February 2017. Retrieved 28 June 2017.
10. van Wilgenburg, Wladimir (2 April 2017). "Kurdish National Council suspends participation in Syria peace talks". ARA News. Archived from the original on 2 April 2017. Retrieved 2 April 2017.
11. "Syria rebel group fights in Damascus, talks in Geneva". AFP. 24 March 2017. Archived from the original on 30 March 2017. Retrieved 30 March 2017.
12. Collins, Dylan (24 February 2017). "Syria talks hit snag before opening ceremony in Geneva". Al-Jazeera. Archived from the original on 24 February 2017. Retrieved 24 February 2017.
13. "Syria talks may surprise by meeting the low bar of expectations". ARA News. 4 March 2017. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017. Retrieved 4 March 2017.
14. "Russian President's Special Envoy on Syria Alexander Lavrentiev – Syrian Arab News Agency". sana.sy. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
15. "Syria peace talks: Sides fail to meet on first day in Geneva". BBC. 23 February 2017. Archived from the original on 25 July 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
16. "Bombings, air strikes in Syria rattle Geneva peace talks". Reuters. 25 February 2017. Archived from the original on 29 August 2017. Retrieved 2 July 2017.
17. "Syrian Kurdish KNC withdraws from Geneva talks in protest at opposition". Kom News. 30 March 2017. Archived from the original on 31 March 2017. Retrieved 31 March 2017.