Syria to gain productive results in Geneva talks - expert
Press TV has conducted an interview with Tahsin al-Halabi, political commentator, about Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Meqdad saying a government delegation will attend the next round of Syria talks to be held in the Swiss city of Geneva next week.
- Mr. al-Halabi, the first round of talks in Geneva between the two sides was of course held because the two sides agreed to sit together in the same room at least and start to discuss things and the UN-Arab League mediator said that he is pleased that some of the things that have been mentioned have been acknowledged that both sides have been agreeing on some points.
But do you think the Geneva I communique is going to help end this crisis politically and that the two sides can actually work on an agreement on that communique?
- I think when we would estimate even neutrally what happened in Geneva II last sessions, we would find that Syria leadership proved its sincerity for the aims of the Syrian government which is to seek a peaceful course, a peaceful road for all those problems that the opposition or the adversaries of Syrian government or even the enemies trying to accuse Syria that it is not seeking a peaceful course for a real solution for the internal problems of Syria whether it is political ones or economical ones or external foreign relations.
I think this is one point. The second point Syria could achieve in the first Geneva II stage, sessions that it embarrassed the adversaries, the opposition parties because it offered publicly in front of all the whole world its platform, its political, economic, its everything concerning all the problems in Syria and then those opposition parties could not dare to accept dealing with such basic principles that Mr. Muallem [Syria's Foreign Minister] declared in last Geneva sessions.
So I think now when Syria would go, it will bring more sincerity and more productive results for Geneva II otherwise the government of Syria would not participate if they would not believe that such Geneva sessions would give more and more gains for the Syrian people, for the stability and the peaceful solution for the internal problems of Syria.
- Mr. al-Halabi, just quickly if you can before we leave you, a lot of people are saying that whatever happens in Geneva between the negotiating sides it is not going to be helpful if the terrorists, the extremist groups are going to continue to get support from various countries in the region etc.
What can be done to bring an end to the terrorism and to the fighting in Syria?
- I think more countries now would press and enforce Saudi Arabia or other countries like Turkey and like USA, not to give more weapons, not to facilitate the way of smuggling weapons inside the Syrian territories or smuggling even terrorists through the boundaries of Syria whether it is from Jordan or Turkey.
I think now the international community is more convinced than before that the real solution would start from this point that you have mentioned and that Syria also insisted on in last Geneva sessions.