US hails Syrian opposition's decision to attend Geneva meet
Secretary of State John Kerry lauded the Syrian opposition's agreement, pledging continuing US support to the peace process, Xinhua reported.
US-recognised Syrian National Coalition -- Syria's main opposition bloc, announced earlier in the day following a vote in Turkey's Istanbul city that it would join the peace talks, also known as Geneva II.
"By
voting
to
go
to
Geneva
II
with
a
mission
to
negotiate
an
end
to
the
war,
the
opposition
has
chosen
a
path
that
will
ultimately
lead
to
a
better
future
for
all
Syrians,"
Kerry
said
in
a
statement.
Kerry pledged continuing US support to the peace process
The Syrian government has agreed to join the Montreux talks, which will build on the Geneva Communique adopted in June 2012 by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and four Middle East countries, which calls for the establishment of a transitional governing body in Syria to lead the country out of a protracted conflict that broke out in March 2011.
"The United States will continue to support the Syrian opposition as they embark on the best opportunity to achieve a negotiated political transition as outlined in the Geneva communique," said Kerry, pledging "direct" engagement with the opposition at the peace conference and "every day thereafter."
IANS