Assad’s role continues to haunt peace talks
GENEVA – The key issue of a transitional government to replace President Bashar Assad blocked any progress Monday in Syrian peace talks, described by one delegate as “a dialogue of the deaf.”
The chief U.N. mediator expressed frustration over inflammatory public remarks by the two sides as he sought to identify some less-contentious issues in hopes of achieving any progress at all at the bargaining table.
But even the most modest attempts at confidence-building measures faltered including humanitarian aid convoys to besieged parts of the central city of Homs and the release of detainees. Veteran mediator Lakhdar Brahimi somberly declared at the end of the day that he had little to report.
“There are no miracles here,” Brahimi said.
The gulf between the two sides was on full display at a turbulent morning session in which the delegations from the opposition and the Syrian government faced off on the question of Assad’s future.
Afghanistan begins releasing prisoners
KABUL, Afghanistan – The Afghan government has begun the process of releasing three dozen prisoners despite U.S. protests that they are highly dangerous, officials said Monday, the latest sign of deteriorating relations between the two countries ahead of the year-end withdrawal of most international combat troops.
The move to release the prisoners prompted an angry denunciation from the U.S. military, which said the 37 prisoners slated for release are “dangerous insurgents who have Afghan blood on their hands” with strong evidence that links them to involvement in placing them to roadside bombs targeting U.S. troops.
President Hamid Karzai’s government has rebuffed the U.S. claims that the men pose a serious risk of returning to violence if they’re released and used the issue to test his government’s relationship with the U.S. as the two sides struggle over the question of a post-2014 foreign presence.
Associated Press
