New York Times: "Chances of U.N. Peace Talks on Syria Appear Dim as Both Sides Dig In"

[Lady Freedom Returns]

By HALA DROUBI and RICK GLADSTONE
Published: May 29, 2013

Fabrice Coffrini/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
"Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Faysal Khabbaz Hamoui, on Wednesday."

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Antagonists in the Syrian conflict appeared to harden their negotiating positions on Wednesday, further dimming the possibility that the United Nations would be able to convene talks in coming weeks aimed at halting the civil war despite intensified diplomatic pressure from both the United States and Russia.

Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, said President Bashar al-Assad would remain in office until elections next year and might even seek another term. The Syrian Coalition, the main umbrella opposition group, said that it welcomed the idea of negotiations but that Mr. Assad and his security and military subordinates must “step down and be excluded from the political process.”

While the Syrian Coalition statement did not call those demands preconditions to negotiations, it did not commit to attending an international conference under United Nations auspices in Geneva, which both the Americans and the Russians have been pressing to hold as early as next month

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Full Story @ http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/30/world/middleeast/chances-of-un-peace-talks-on-syria-appear-dim-as-both-sides-dig-in.html