Syria opposition rejects UN’s ‘step for step’ approach to advance talks

The Syrian opposition forces’ High Negotiations Committee (HNC) yesterday rejected the “step for step” approach proposed by the United Nations special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen to resolve the conflict, saying it will further embolden an intransigent regime.

The HNC said the step for step diplomacy would give “incentives” to a regime that has already demonstrated its rejection of a UN-led peace process.

“It will push it towards more intransigence and will impede implementation of international resolutions,” HNC said in a statement.

Last December, Pedersen called for efforts to try to build trust between warring parties by setting precise and “verifiable” steps.

The call followed the failure of several rounds of UN-brokered negotiations held in Geneva between the Syrian regime and opposition groups aimed at forging a new constitution.

The Syrian opposition groups announced their position after a meeting held in the Qatari capital Doha aimed at “improving performance”.

Speaking at the conference, Salem Al-Meslet, head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, said that a united opposition would send “an important message to the UN envoy”.

Western support for the Syrian opposition has declined in recent years.

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