Syrian opposition says will boycott Russia-brokered peace talks in Sochi
VIENNA - The Syrian opposition will not attend a peace conference Russia is hosting next week, a spokesman said on Saturday, dismissing the meeting as an attempt by the Syrian government's close ally to "sideline" the current United Nations peace process.
He was speaking at the end of two days of UN-brokered talks between the Syrian government and opposition, after which the host said the United Nations had not decided whether to attend the conference in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
Western powers and some Arab states believe Sochi is an attempt to create a separate peace process that would undermine the United Nations' efforts while laying the groundwork for a solution more suitable to Assad and his allies Russia and Iran.
"This whole round in Vienna was supposed to be a crucial one, a test for commitment. And we didn't see this commitment. And the UN didn't see this commitment," said Yahya al-Aridi, a spokesman for the opposition delegation at the Vienna talks.
