Syria Accuses Brahimi of ’Flagrant Bias’ ahead of Geneva Talks

Damascus accused the international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi of being biased, as the Algerian Diplomat was readying for a second round of talks in Geneva aiming at ending the Syrian crisis.

In a statement the foreign ministry said it was very surprised by Brahimi’s comments, which showed “he is flagrantly biased for those who are conspiring against Syria and its people.”

“We had expected Brahimi to read and analyze the contents of (Assad’s proposed) political initiative which is the only exit to the Syrian crisis,” the ministry said.

However, it noted it was nevertheless still willing to work with him to find a political solution to the crisis.
The statement was the strongest criticism of Brahimi since he took over from veteran diplomat Kofi Annan who stepped down months ago.

In a BBC interview, Brahimi called for “real, not cosmetic change” in Syria and accused President Basahr al-Assad of “resisting the aspirations of his people.”
“The time of reforms granted magnanimously from above is past,” Brahimi said in the interview.

In a speech on Sunday, Assad drew the map of a proposed solution to the crisis in Syria that included a national reconciliation conference, a new government and constitution. However, he demanded regional and Western countries stop funding and arming terrorists first.

Meanwhile, a new round of talks to end the ongoing turmoil in Syria is to take place today in Geneva between Brahimi and envoys from US and Russia.

Russia’s Middle East negotiator, Mikhail Bogdanov, announced on Wednesday that he would take art in talks with Brahimi and US Undersecretary of State William Burns.