Baird Says Both Government and Opposition Should Attend Syria Peace Talks

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Foreign Affairs Minister of Canada, John Baird, mentioned in an a formal press conference on Thursday that both Syrian government and opposition must attend the forthcoming peace talks in Geneva, Switzerland at the end of June in case they intend to pursue a political solution to the nation’s bloody civil war.

Baird’s statement was passed soon after several media reports alleged that Syria’s Western-backed opposition, Syrian National Coalition, has declined to participate in the June 5 peace talks backed by Russia and the U.S. Concequently, during a press conference with German Foreign Minister, Guido Westerwelle, in Ottawa on Thursday, Baird mentioned that “if there’s to be a political solution, obviously both sides have to be at the table and we hope they’ll avail themselves.” He added that “the only way to bring an end to the suffering of the Syrian people is a political solution.” The decision of the Syrian opposition to not attend the Geneva meeting was made after a failed session of talks in Istanbul, Turkey. Along with Baird, Westerwelle also alleged that “I’m still optimistic the Syrian opposition knows their obligations, knows their responsibility.”

Both The U.S. and Russia were on the same page about facilitating the United Nations-sponsored peace conference arranged earlier this month when U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry visited Russia. The ongoing conflict in Syria between the supporters of Syrian President, Bashar al-Assad, and those against his regime has left more than 70,000 dead and displaced 1.5 million Syrians it started almost two years ago.