Moderate Syrian rebels ask Kazakhstan to host opposition talks
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 20 April 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Moderate Syrian rebels ask Kazakhstan to host opposition talks, 20 April 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5565ba1b15.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
April 20, 2015
Kazakhstan's Foreign Ministry says several Syrian opposition groups have asked President Nursultan Nazarbaev to host talks with opposition delegates in a bid to resolve Syria's civil war.
Astana did not specify which groups made the request, but said they were invited to Kazakhstan "only for a deeper study of the issue in order to find out if additional talks are needed."
Ministry spokesman Altai Abibullaev suggested delegates from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime should not be excluded from any peace talks.
Abibullaev quoted Foreign Minister Erlan Idrisov as saying Astana has no "intention to substitute the existing platforms" of peace talks – known as the Geneva and Moscow formats.
Those formats both include mediated talks with Assad's delegates and moderate opposition figures, but have made little progress.
A moderate opposition figure, Randa Kassis, said in early April that Nazarbaev would be asked to meet with "Syrian opposition activists."
Based on reporting by KazTAG and Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
