Though all indications are that next week’s Geneva 2 peace conference is going nowhere fast, Secretary of State John Kerry’s optimism remains boundless, and he announced that the talks will end with the framework for installing a transitional government to replace President Bashar Assad.
Kerry insisted that the leaders of the new government would have to be acceptable to all in attendance, including the existing government and the opposition.
This suggests the comments were aimed primarily at coaxing the rebels into agreeing to attend, since so far none have confirmed they’re coming and they’ll presumably want some say in a replacement regime.
That said, with most of the biggest rebel factions not even invited, and the rebel “war within a war” picking up pace, the already remote chances of a settlement being reached at Geneva 2 seem to be fading fast.
