The umbrella body comprising Syria’s principal mainstream opposition groups threatened on Sunday to withdraw from peace talks shortly after its delegation arrived in Geneva if the “crimes” of Bashar al-Assad’s regime persisted.
“If the regime insists on continuing to commit these crimes then the HNC (High Negotiations Committee) delegation’s presence in Geneva will not be justified,” HNC coordinator Riad Hijab warned in a statement in Arabic posted online.
“The delegation will inform (UN special envoy Staffan) de Mistura of its intentions to withdraw its negotiating team if the UN and world powers are unable to stop these violations,” said Hijab, who was not among those present in Geneva.