UN Special Envoy Brahimi on Monday's Geneva II Talks

Jan 27, 2014 Geneva, (SANA delegate) – UN Envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, stressed that the goal of Geneva 2 conference is ending the war in Syria, building new Syria and enabling the Syrian people to meet their legitimate aspirations by  trying to implement Geneva 1 Communiqué.  At a press conference, Brahimi pointed out that this issue is not easy due to the standing bifurcations and problems. He added that ..We discussed in the morning a paper (political Communique) submitted by the Syrian government that included general principles, most of them are included in Geneva 1 Communique; tomorrow we are going to talk about Geneva (conference)  itself and see if we can start discussions. Brahimi pointed out that the humanitarian issues which were discussed have not witnessed any progress as the government agreed yesterday to allow women and children out of the old city of Homs, but the means to achieve that are still under discussion as it is not easy due to the presence of snipers and  many problems there. F.Allafi

Geneva II: Political Communiqué Presented by Syrian Official Delegation Rejected by "Coalition" in Two Minutes

Jan 27, 2014 Geneva, (SANA delegate) – Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said that the political communiqué presented by the Syrian official delegation contained articles no two Syrians can disagree upon, no matter how much they differ or are far apart or fight among each other, stressing that the rejection by the coalition delegation of so-called "opposition" of national sovereignty, political pluralism, and democracy constitutes blatant rejection of the first Geneva communiqué. In statements to journalists on Monday, Minister al-Zoubi said that the political communiqué presented by the Syrian Arab Republic delegation does not contain any reference to the presidency or the person of the president at all in any of its articles, noting that the communiqué was distributed in English and Arabic to media outlets who can verify its contents. He wondered "Can we imagine that there is a Syrian who can disagree with another Syrian on the sovereignty of the Syrian Arab Republic, its territorial integrity, and the unity of its national soil, unless one of those who disagree isn't Syrian, but an Israeli, for example?" The Minister went on to ask if it's possible to assume that a single Syrian refused to reject and combat terrorism and work to ensure that terrorists aren't armed or provided with safe havens in neighboring countries, asserting that no two Syrians should disagree on these points unless one of them is actually a Saudi, a Turk, a Qatari, an Israeli, or a conspirator against Syria. Al-Zoubi said he was surprised that any Syrian would refuse to talk about democracy, ballot boxes, public freedom, human rights, political pluralism, and the right to citizenship, noting that if some of the "opposition" forces were supposed to have included these points in their political discourse, adding that these points are already in the current constitution of the Syrian Arab Republic as well as in the previous constitution and in the discourse of national forces and parties in Syria, including national opposition forces. He stressed that this discourse should be the bare minimum to express the Syrian identity, patriotism and national affiliation, as no Syrian can reject calls for protecting public and private properties and not attacking the Syrian state's infrastructure, schools, hospitals, universities and so on. "What's amazing is that they rejected this communiqué in less than two minutes. All it cost them was that one of them left the room and made a phone call, then came back to whisper in the ear of the one they called "chief negotiator" to say that they reject this statement part and parcel," the Minister said, adding that this shocked the Syrian official delegation. Al-Zoubi said that if there were points which they could have viewed as contentious, maybe a specific sentence or phrase taken in context or out of context, the least they should have done was to discuss them or even say that they will discuss this issue and return tomorrow to state their opinion, but to reject the communiqué outright in this manner clearly means that the one who actually rejected the communiqué and whom they called is at least Robert Ford, Ahmet Davutoglu, Saud al-Fayssal, or someone like them. He went on to note that the first Geneva communiqué talks about the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic, along with pluralism and other points, adding "it seems that they haven't read it, because when they reject these points, they also reject a main part of the first Geneva communiqué on the basis of which this conference is held." Al-Zoubi said that the Syrian official delegation is open to discussing any political issue, and that it came with the intent of succeeding in posing formulae, ideas, new methods and an in-depth reading in order to launch the track, saying that the other side doesn't want this track at all. "They came here, believing and thinking along with their masters, that we will come and become angry, get provoked and withdraw, which didn't happen and we promise them wouldn't happen… in politics, we don't get angry or provoked, therefore we continue to exert efforts and will continue to do so with UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi and all those we believe we should be in contact with to ensure the success of this conference," he asserted. The Minister said that according to his personal estimation and political rationalism, he assumes that Brahimi was not pleased, and perhaps even surprised and disappointed, because the communiqué wasn't read or discussed and they didn't take the time to read it, noting that the communiqué came in one page that needs at least five minutes to read casually and half a day at least for an in-depth political reading, yet the rejection came in two minutes. He concluded by saying that talks were held in the afternoon between Brahimi and each side separately, and that everyone is waiting for their results. Information Minister : Syria considers all its citizens equal wherever they are Earlier, Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said that in the eyes of the Syrian state, all Syrians are equal wherever they are, stressing that talking about Homs is a humanitarian issue which shouldn't be exploited politically for achieving gains or political victories. "No-one wants to achieve a political victory using this issue… we won't allow others to imagine that they're achieving this, and this issue is outside political calculations, investments and discussions, and we will continue to say this," al-Zoubi told reporters on Monday. "There are civilians in the old city in Homs which they are talking about, regardless of the disparate estimations of their numbers. Those could leave the area, and the state will provide them with all services all the time," he said, noting that it's not the first or the last time that the state provides humanitarian support in compliance with the response plan between the Syrian government and UN organizations. He clarified that the response plan isn't a recent thing that is implemented or begins today; rather it began a long time ago and is being implemented literally and systematically all over the country, pointing out that there are areas in need for humanitarian support including Homs, Maaloula, Nebbel, al-Zahraa, and Adra, among other areas across Syria, adding "all areas in Syria are, in the end, part of our country and people, regardless of any consideration." The Minister stressed that nobody should think that what is going on in Homs is associated to what has been discussed in Geneva Conference. He noted that a month ago, 800 Syrian citizens were evacuated from al-Zara area where gunmen had been holding them hostage, with the state providing them with shelter, food and medical services, adding that there are people besieged in Maaloula and Adra, in addition to Nebbel and al-Zahraa which have been blockaded for two years. Al-Zoubi pointed out that the Syrian government is providing aid to areas via dignitaries, selectmen and civil committees, stressing that work for providing aid to the old city in Homs is underway with the help of the International Committee of the Red Cross, reiterating that this process is independent form discussions in Geneva. "All that some are trying to market through mass media that an achievement was made by the coalition members regarding this issue is baseless, because preparations were made in advance and work was underway," he added. The Minister said that there are efforts being exerted in Damascus with the UN through the Syrian government to address all blockaded areas and help or evacuate civilians, adding "all talk outside this context is morally, humanely and patriotically reprehensible… Not a single patriotic Syrian, regardless of the opposition group they belong to, has the right to talk about those people as number and try to make political investments from their suffering." On the coalition delegation's claims that they have lists of children detained in Syrian prisons, al-Zoubi said that these claims were made on Sunday evening during the session, yet they failed to present any lists or names, and if they can't provide them in closed session, then they will certainly say that they can't present them to the media because these claims are baseless, stressing that the state does not arrest children nor women, unless the woman in question transported weapons or was complicit in killing. "We don't arrest children, even the children which armed groups recruit for their battles… when the authorities apprehend them, they are treated as children, not as combatants or arrestees or detainees; rather we take their age into consideration as well as the moral and psychological influences they were subjected to," he said, asserting that there are specific state establishments which deal with such issues and lies regarding this matter must cease immediately. On prospects of beginning discussion of the political process today, the Minister said that the meeting is underway and the details will be discussed later, stressing that the Syrian official delegation in Geneva will continue to act according to its patriotism, its faith in Syria, and according to the directives of President Bashar al-Assad which affirm the need to stem bloodshed, defending national and pan-Arab standards, and preserving Syria's Arabism, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Al-Zoubi noted that there are many lies and allegations by mass media outlets which falsify what the Syrian official delegation says, yet the delegation members remain optimist, serious and determined. On alleged side meetings between the Syrian official delegation, the coalition delegation and western delegations, the Minister said that talking about such things to the media isn't possible, but the goal of being at the conference is to meet with the coalition delegation according to set procedures and rules and to work towards progress in any direction.

Iranian President Rohani: "Expelling Terrorists from Syria is First Step Towards Solving the Crisis"

Regional and International News>>Rohani: Expelling terrorists from Syria is First step towards solving the crisis

Rohani: Expelling terrorists from Syria is First step towards solving the crisis  Jan 26, 2014 Tehran, (SANA) - Iranian President Hassan Rohani affirmed that the first step to solve the crisis in Syria lies in expelling terrorists, pointing out that the countries which support terrorism are committing big mistake that will be turned against them. President Rohani told American CNN TV in an interview on the sideline of the World Economic Forum of Davos in Switzerland , that terrorism poses a dangerous threat to the whole area, voicing his regret over the support of a number of countries to the terrorist groups. "All, even the western countries, know that the most dangerous terrorist groups are existing in Syria now," the Iranian President added. He called for halting the war on Syria and expelling terrorists from it. President Rohani pointed out that the crisis in Syria would be solved through election, adding that the what the Syrian people say should be acceptable for all countries. B. Mousa/ Mazen

Can „Women lead to Peace“? A Critical View On The Geneva II Talks on Syria and Beyond

Report from the sideshow in Montreux and Geneva January 20-24th 2014 from Irene Eckert

Nobel prize winners and peace activists from Syria and around the world.  Oxfam activity Photo: Maria Christina Travaglio/Les Studios Casagrande

It goes without saying: Women are good mediators, women have played major roles in peacemaking. Since the Austrian Baroness Bertha von Suttner had demanded „ Lay Down your Arms “ and since she had won the first Nobel Price for Peace, a considerable number of women have followed her on that road.

After three years of barbaric bloodshed in Syria the possibility for stopping this inhuman madness is on the horizon. Under UN auspices 40 countries were called to assist the peace process in the proxy war fuelled in the aftermath of the 'Arab Spring'. 10 were called to come on a last minute notice.  Civil society has been confused about what was going in the Levante due to a massive propagandafire that accompanied the fighting on the ground. In consequence solidarity with the Syrian people has been unfortunatelly restrained.

The date for Geneva II peace talks was postponed many times and when mentioned at all in world media it was about inviting or disinviting Iran or about the alleged condition layed down in the Geneva I protocol, demanding that President Assad had to step down first if peace was to be and the country saved from disintegration.

Apart from some governments, 'UN WOMEN'* seemed to be the only prominent voice encouraging the Geneva II conference by saying „We share the hopes of the Syrian people that Geneva II will be a serious step towards ending the violence and bloodshed.“ In their statement from January 13^th 'UN WOMEN' called for a ceasefire, the participation of neighboring states and the lifting of economic sanctions on Syria.

For a pre-conference gathering 60 women from all corners of the world had come to Switzerland. Among them two Nobel Peace Price laureates, Mairead Maguire (Northern Ireland 1976) and Shirin Ebadi (Iran 2003). Together with other prominent and less prominent women, they have been invited by „Codepink“(USA), „Madre“(USA) and „WILPF“ (international). These women's associations want to make a contribution to promoting peace in Syria by calling for a ceasefire and for a stronger representation of women at the conference table.

What might have been underestimated during an intense week of seminars, discussions and spectacular outdoor activities to catch media attention was the fact that women are participating in the diplomatic procedures and some even play a very prominent role in it, but in conflicting parties.

On the side of the Syrian government there is  Dr. Bouthaina Shabaan, senior political and  media adviser of Dr. Assad. Shabaan gave CNN News a remarkable interview on Saturday night, January 25^th. ** On the opposite side the „Syrian National Council“ just appointed 26 year old Noura Al Amir as vicepresident, whose mandate is,  to force the Syrian government to step down. She attracted media attention by vociferously calling Bashar Al Assad „a criminal of war“ while  protesting against the talks on UN Plaza on Friday, January 24^th.

This is to show how antagonistic women's positionings can be. And this fact was reflected in the non-governmental meetings, too.

Law professor Shirin Ebadi, a strong advocate of human rights in Iran, argues on the same line with her Syrian „sister“ Al Amir, when accusing the present head of the Syrian goverment as „main obstacle to peace“. While living in the US she accuses the Iranians as „the only foreign government that militarily interferes in Syria.“ Her poem, dedicated to the soldier, fallen on Syrian ground, was unanimously applauded. As Women we react spontaneously and emotionally when it comes to human rights violations and when we commemorate sons and partners who  are losing  their lives as soldiers on the battleground.

So while insisting that „Women lead to Peace“,   we tend to forget that emotions can be misled if not adequately accompagnied by a sound analyes of the root causes of a given conflict. As women alone, even if representing more than half of the world's population, we can not overcome the antagonisms expressed above. These  antagonisms that  lie at the bottom of  conflict must be addressed, must be dealt with.

The women's assembly in Geneva and their spectacular presentations in the streets of Montreux, designed by 'Codepink' had brought together women from various conflict zones in the world, such as Bosnia-Herzegowina, Sri Lanka, Sahara, Columbia, Northern Ireland and more. They all wanted to set an example for the Syrian women, to offer their experience in conflict solving.

Mairead Maguire and her collegue insisted that women had played an important role in the peace process in Northern Ireland, putting aside their more specific needs. „Peace is a human right“ said Maguire and „the Syrian people must decide for themselves who should govern them“ and she added, „without foreign interference“.

Syrian women were present, too. They had come from inside Syria and from abroad, voicing oppositional views on the deplorable situation on the ground. Among them  were those, who had come to attack the Assad government for the present situation, entertaining even a propaganda radio program abroad to that purpose.

There were other oppositional representatives who were supporting  Mouna Ghanem, an ex-Syrian UN-worker. Her group  presented a „Syrian Women's Charter for Peace“ emphasising the unity of the country, rejecting foreign intervention, calling for an end to the economic strangeling of their country and insisting that women from inside Syria should play a more important role. Their proposals for rebuilding the country are concrete and constructive.

There were other Syrian women,  among them Swiss residents, professionals, insisting on the great role Syrian women used to play throughout history up to the breakout of the violence in 2011. They demanded "Foreigners out - Syrians in". Iman Lauraux from Geneva  said „Syrian women were queens and goddesses“ before the conflict was instigated from abroad three years ago. Proud women like herself do not want to be suppressed in Saudi Arabian style. It was also pointed out that foreign funding of hundreds of extremist islamist groups was a fact well documented,  and that it must be denounced.„Food of Peace“ was one of the ideas they foster in order to contribute to establish a dialogue among opponents.

Their were prominent women like Ex-EU-Parliament President Luisa Morgantini, also engaged in the Palestinan Cause, Heike Haensel, a peace activist and a Parliamentarian from Germany who had worked hard with her government to try and get women like Mouna Ghanem inlcuded in the oppositional Syrian delegation. There was Marie Dennis from Pax Christi headquarters in Belgium or US-veteran and ex-diplomat Ann Wright, who all voiced their strong sentiments to see the conflict in Syria ended on peaceful terms. There were Wilpfers young and old. The youngers more into Gender-Equality and problemsolving through UNSCR 1325 and the older pointing out to the need of awareness raising through studying the root causes of war and conflict as their ancestors had proposed when they founded the organisation almost one hundred years ago in the midst of World War I.

Most of us agreed that a deep breath and a lot of patience is needed if peace is to be established in Syria and in the Middle East, as all these countries and conflict zones are interrelated. And now with media attention gone,  real negotiations seem to be under way and they  seem to include Iran in one way or the other.

As peaceworkers we must carry Geneva back home and continue our support for a diplomatic solution.

______

* UN-WOMEN is a newly created UN agency for the advancement of women. It brings together the earlier existing programms and wants to further capacity building among women

**See http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37471.htm#.UuVfu4EV2ls.email

Ms Bouthaina Shaaban, Senior Syrian Government Adviser, Speaks Out and Asks if the US is a Democracy

for video click here: http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article37471.htm#.UuVfu4EV2ls.email President Assad's media advisor appeared on CNN and asked where John Kerry gets the right to tell the Syrian people who can and cannot be their leader. She encouraged the media to come to Syria so "you will find out for yourself who is the criminal; who is kidnapping people, who is raping people." She said that "most of what's circulated in the media has nothing to do with what's in Syria." Posted January 25, 2014

Celebrating a Century of Peacework (WILPF - Women's International League For Peace and Freedom)

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom's US-president Laura Roskos was invited by another old peace organization in Boston to reflect upon how to make best use of a century of history. Ms. Roskos recommended that in order to get strength out of that history to use it as „a touchstone“ and while touching it „simulataneously make changes in structure that will keep us relevant“.

The structural aproach seems tuned in. And yet, talking about structure does not really make sense and can be seriously misunderstood, if you do not right away say, what exactly the structural changes should be good for. As „Women for Peace“ we must always ask to whom do we want to be relevant and for what purpose. Even the very precious term 'Peace' has been misused. When we say peace, we do not want a piecemeal, we want peace with justice and we want it for every human being.

We definitely do no want to serve the 1%. We do not want do assist those who are responsible for warfare and who make a good profit out of it. On the contrary – as our foremothers - we do want to path ways that can help to overcome the war profit machinery.

Therefore if our anti-war stance is to be sound and serious we must dig into our rich historical archives and we must draw good advice from our sister's expierence. We must do more than use it „as a touchstone“, we must go and to study one hundred years of struggle seriously. In doing so, we can learn from its errors and from the positive impulses, too

Our foremothers came out with serious proposals to end the butchering on the battlefields and with a vision how to prevent future wars. They wanted to eliminate war as an instrument to settling conflicts and to work for conditions under which a permanent peace could be constructed. The first WILPF women encouraged us to study the root causes of conflict and eliminating them.

They went out from Congress and visited those politicians who shared the responsibility for keeping the war going and they talked to the representatives of neutral countries, too. They made a joint effort as „sisters“ although their were citizens from countries at war with each other. As women they asserted their equality with men to have the same say in dealing with issues of war and peace and made concrete proposals. They went with a strong political will to end all wars and to create conditions for a more just society for all.

If they were not successful in their endeavour this does no mean that they had the wrong approach, not at all. Unfortunatelly their voices were too weak as the women's movement was split over the question of war and peace and it still is! The professional women started globally united in the call for universal sufferage. But as women are not equal among themselves, they pursue different interests. Quite a few women have the same vested interests in the war machine as men do.

After the war the suffrage came. Women's proposals had had influence and they have helped to lay the ground work for the League of Nations and later the United Nations. WILPFERS have been very successfully active within that framework of nations on the basis of the UN-Charter.

But since 1945 the Charter itself has been seriously underminded and even violated with the introduction of concepts like the „Responsibility to Protect“ serving to promote "Regime Change" under  the pretext of helping out were "governments failed".

As caring women we  do feel strongly about Human Rights in its entity as laid down in the Human Rights Charter. But we cannot allow ourselves to be elusive, fluid, unconcrete. We must do much more than „allow space for imagination“. We must comprehend the process that during the last two decades lead to the weakening of international organisms. Not only WILPF has suffered from being influenced and from having their financial grounds shattered.

Let us been always clear. Never has it been WILPFs identity to remain marginal and to keep up the image of rebels. Our members did not define themselves as outsiders, on the contrary, they were marginalized under the conditions of war and cold war. Many WILPFERs have indeed taken responsible positions in their respective societies. They did prove that women can take on jobs on all levels of society and still work for peace and help transform the patterns of society. Ms Roskos should have pointed out to these fact, too.

When the US-president finalizes „our leaders do not live for ever“ , in my view this shows some disrespect of the elderly WILPFERs and their ongoing contribution to the struggle.

I can hear from such language serious disaproval of the achievements of those women who chose to organize for peace and freedom and not for gender equality one.

As women peacemakers we  have always considered ourselves as equal and as competent to help promote progress in our respective societies in order to garantuee human survival which can only be, if war is buried forever.

The above Comments on WILPF's US-President Laura Roskos Speech at Edwin Ginn Library at Tufts University's Fletcher School“ at the World Peace Foundation,  Massachusetts, January 13^th 2014 were presented byIrene Eckert, Berlin, Germany

"A Genève 2, la promesse d'un dialogue entre Syriens" le MONDE bien dans le camps des Etas Unis

Proche-Orient

A Genève 2, la promesse d'un dialogue entre Syriens

Le Monde.fr | 22.01.2014 à 14h44 • Mis à jour le 23.01.2014 à 08h59 |Par Benjamin Barthe et Yves-Michel Riols (Montreux, envoyés spéciaux)

La première journée de la conférence de paix sur la Syrie s'est achevée, mercredi 22 janvier à Montreux, sur une promesse des délégations du gouvernement syrien et de l'opposition de s'asseoir à la même table des négociations à partir du 24 janvier. Les discussions directes devraient s'étendresur une semaine environ puis reprendre, après une pause, pour une deuxième session de pourparlers, a déclaré le chef de la diplomatie russe, Sergueï Lavrov.

« L'essentiel est d'entamer le processus », a affirmé le ministre russe, qui a également dit que les Nations unies, les Etats-Unis et la Russie cherchaient à obtenir un accord entre les deux camps sur un échange de prisonniers.

« IL NE FAUT PAS REGARDER TRÈS LOIN »

Dès son ouverture, dans la matinée, la conférence de paix a baigné dans un climat de grande tension, tranchant avec l'allure paisible de cette station balnéaire de la rive suisse du lac Léman. Bien que Ban Ki-moon, le secrétaire général de l'ONU, ait exhorté les participants et notamment les deux délégations syriennes à modérer leur langage et à se comporter en hommes d'Etat, les premières interventions de la journée ont été marquées par des propos pleins d'acrimonie.

D'entrée de jeu, Sergueï Lavrov, le premier à 

prendre la parole, a planté le décor de cette rencontre. D'un ton sec et tranchant, il s'est livré à un réquisitoire contre l'opposition syrienne et ses parrains occidentaux. Il n'a pas eu un mot pour condamner les exactions du régime de Bachar Al-Assad, soutenu à bout de bras militairement par Moscou. Dans une allusion claire aux pays du Golfe, principaux bailleurs de fonds de la rébellion, et aux Etats-Unis, le chef de la diplomatie russe a vilipendé ceux qui « tentent de l'extérieur d'imposer leur modèle » à la Syrie.

Lire notre décryptage : A la conférence de Genève 2 sur la Syrie, des participants aux objectifs très différents

« Il ne faut pas regarder très loin », a-t-il poursuivi en faisant référence à la situation en Irak, pour comprendre que ces « tentatives ne peuvent que nuire »aux négociations engagées à Montreux.

Sergueï Lavrov a ensuite ouvertement remis en question la légitimité de la délégation de la Coalition nationale syrienne (CNS), colonne vertébrale de la résistance au régime de Bachar Al-Assad. « Certains groupes de l'opposition ne sont pas représentés ici, j'espère qu'ils le seront », a-t-il affirmé, en pointant à dessein les divisions au sein de l'opposition sur l'opportunité de participer à la réunion de Montreux.

LE DÉPART DE BACHAR AL-ASSAD, ENJEU DE LA RENCONTRE

Le chef de la diplomatie russe est rapidement passé sur l'ordre du jour officiel de la rencontre, à savoir la mise en place d'une transition politique, pour souligner que l'urgence du moment est d'éviter que la Syrie devienne une « base arrière du terrorisme international », reprenant ainsi l'argumentaire du régime. De surcroît, M. Lavrov a balayé d'un revers de la main les demandes d'ordre humanitaire réclamées par l'opposition, les qualifiant « d'artificielles ».

John Kerry a ensuite répondu au discours combatif de Sergueï Lavrov, dans une intervention aux antipodes de celle de son homologue russe. Il a salué la décision« courageuse » de la CNS de se rendre à Montreux et a clairement recadré l'enjeu de la rencontre : le départ de Bachar Al-Assad. « Il n'est pas envisageable qu'un homme qui a conduit la répression brutale de son propre peuple puisse retrouverla légitimité de gouverner. Le droit de conduire un pays, a-t-il insisté, ne peut pasvenir de la torture, des barils d'explosifs et des missiles Scud. Il provient du consentement du peuple. »

Lire aussi la note de blog : Syrie : ce que l'opposition peut espérer de Genève 2

A l'instar des autres intervenants, M. Kerry a souligné qu'il était illusoire d'attendredes résultats rapides de ce rendez-vous alors que le conflit syrien ne cesse de s'aggraver depuis trois ans : cette réunion n'est que le début d'un processus qui sera « long et difficile ».

Aussitôt après, dans un discours fleuve, plein de formules de rhétorique, parfois boursouflé, Walid Mouallem, le ministre des affaires étrangères de la Syrie, a tiré à boulets rouges sur les sponsors occidentaux et arabes de l'insurrection. Il les a accusés d'avoir « exporté le terrorisme » dans son pays et d'avoir « le sang des Syriens sur leurs mains ».

« PRATIQUES MOYENÂGEUSES »

Sans désigner d'Etat en particulier, mais dans une allusion transparente à l'Arabie saoudite et au Qatar, qui arment et financent les brigades rebelles, M. Mouallem a dénoncé « les pétrodollars qui servent à inonder les médias internationaux de mensonges et à envoyer des mercenaires » sur le champ de bataille syrien. Le chef de la diplomatie syrienne a raillé les prétentions des monarchies du golfe Arabo-Persique à donner à son pays « des leçons de démocratie et de développement alors qu'elles s'enfoncent dans leur propre ignorance et leurs pratiques moyenâgeuses ».

Regarder la vidéo : Syrie : la conférence de Genève 2 peut-elle aboutir ?

Homme lige de Bachar Al-Assad, Walid Mouallem a accusé nommément le premier ministre de la Turquie, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, la bête noire des autorités damascènes, de laisser rentrer « les terroristes » sur son territoire. Une allusion aux djihadistes de l'Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant (EIIL), qui ont longtemps circulé librement des deux côtés de la frontière syro-turque, avant qu'Ankara ne s'efforce de limiter leur mouvement. « Mais, attention, la magie va se retournercontre le magicien », a mis en garde M. Mouallem, en référence à l'emprise croissante des djihadistes sur le mouvement révolutionnaire et au débordement du conflit syrien au Liban et en Irak. « Ceux qui ne comprennent pas l'histoire se condamnent à perdre le présent, a-t-il souligné. Ça ne s'arrêtera pas ici. L'Afghanistan est un bon exemple pour ceux qui veulent comprendre. »

Après vingt minutes de discours enflammé, consacré quasi exclusivement à la question du « terrorisme », Ban Ki-moon, le maître de cérémonie, a poliment interrompu Walid Mouallem pour le presser d'achever son intervention, « en cinq minutes ». Une demande ignorée avec superbe par ce vétéran de la diplomatie.« Vous habitez à New York, j'habite en Syrie, j'ai le droit de m'exprimer comme je l'entends », a-t-il tranché, ajoutant qu'il prendrait « encore vingt minutes ».

Tout en stigmatisant les exactions perpétrées par le courant radical de la rébellion, M. Mouallem a entonné l'une des rengaines habituelles du régime syrien, en le présentant comme « le protecteur d'un islam tolérant et des chrétiens du Levant ». Il a achevé son intervention en proposant aux Occidentaux l'aide de son pays pour lutter contre le « terrorisme ». « Travaillons main dans la main pour arrêtercette idéologie obscurantiste », a-t-il insisté.

URGENCE D'« UN OU DES CESSEZ-LE-FEU »

Ahmed Jarba, le patron de la Coalition nationale syrienne, a ensuite pris la parole. Beaucoup plus concis que M. Mouallem, il a ouvert ses propos en rappelant que la crise actuelle a commencé par des « manifestations pacifiques, vendredi après vendredi ». Il a rendu hommage au jeune Hamza Al-Khatib, l'un des martyrs emblématiques de la révolution, torturé à mort par les services de sécurité syriens, et a fait allusion à un récent rapport, dévoilé par CNN et The Guardian, qui révèle, photographies des cadavres à l'appui, que 11 000 détenus ont été exécutés dans les geôles syriennes. Des pratiques qui rappellent selon M. Jarba« les camps de concentration nazis ».

Après avoir accusé le pouvoir syrien de « faciliter le travail de Da'ech », l'acronyme arabe de l'Etat islamique en Irak et au Levant, M. Jarba en est revenu à l'ordre du jour de la conférence : la création par « consentement mutuel » d'une instance de gouvernement transitoire, « dotée des pleins pouvoirs exécutifs », ce qui suppose que M. Al-Assad n'y joue aucun rôle : « Avons-nous un partenaire syrien dans cette salle ? », a demandé M. Jarba.

Dans l'immédiat, Laurent Fabius a appelé à des mesures concrètes pour que la conférence de Montreux ait un impact sur la population syrienne. Il faut de « toute urgence », a plaidé le chef de la diplomatie française, « un ou des cessez-le-feu », l'ouverture de « couloirs humanitaires » et l'acheminement de « vivres et médicaments ». Mais il a aussi réitéré qu'il ne pouvait y avoir d'ambiguïté sur le but de cette rencontre : « Il ne s'agit pas de conduire une discussion générale sur la Syrie » mais « de rechercher un accord politique » conduisant à la création d'une autorité de transition. Au vu de la tonalité acerbe des premières interventions à Montreux, les empoignades à ce sujet ne font que commencer.

Lire aussi (édition abonnés) : Syrie : les attentes des différents protagonistes de Genève 2

• Benjamin Barthe 
  Journaliste au MondeSuivre Aller sur la page de ce journaliste

• Yves-Michel Riols (Montreux, envoyés spéciaux) 
  Journaliste au Monde