Gaziantep, Turkey // Syria's main political opposition alliance will not take part in a proposed international peace conference in Geneva until Hizbollah militants withdraw from the Syrian conflict.
Both the Syrian regime and opposition Syrian National Coalition are being prodded by their respective international backers to take part in the talks.
But the SNC said yesterday it would not consider taking part in Geneva 2 unless Hizbollah fighters and Iranian military personnel, fighting on behalf of Bashar Al Assad's regime, be pulled out of the battle for Qusayr and other parts of the country.
"The National Coalition will not take part in any international conference or any such efforts so long as the militias of Iran and Hizbollah continue their invasion of Syria," George Sabra, the SNC's acting president, said in Istanbul.
"Today, Syrians' lives are more important than any political solution or any international conference," Mr Sabra said.
Syria's president yesterday reiterated his regime's willingness to attend the peace talks "in principle", but said any deal struck would have to be approved by referendum.
"The only condition is that anything to be implemented will be submitted to Syrian public opinion and a Syrian referendum," Mr Al Assad told Lebanon's Al Manar television channel in an interview broadcast last night.
The Syrian opposition's call for a withdrawal of foreign fighters comes as outgunned, outnumbered rebels hold on against a massive regime assault in Qusayr. Hizbollah fighters have played a decisive role in the battle, with the French government estimating that up to 4,000 of the Shiite guerrillas are inside Syria.
Hizbollah, which follows Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei - a key backer of Mr Al Assad - is part of the Lebanese coalition government but maintains a powerful private army, which it long insisted was in place to defend Lebanon and fight Israel.
Now, however, it is embroiled in the Syria war, fighting alongside regime troops. The rebels it is facing are mainly Sunni Islamists, adding to sharply increased sectarian tensions in the region.
The SNC's announcement yesterday came on the eighth day of a deadlocked general meeting in the Turkish capital - extended from three days - and after intervention by the Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, as well as Saudi and Qatari officials, pushing for an expansion of SNC membership and an agreement to attend Geneva 2.
A senior SNC member said there had been intensive outside pressure to take part in the talks.
"Everyone we meet, every time we shake hands they tell us, 'you are going to Geneva, aren't you'," the official said.
But the SNC has also been under pressure from some Syrian activists - whose support it can ill afford to lose - not to attend.
"If the SNC says it will go to Geneva they will hear some strong words from influential activist groups inside Syria," said one opposition campaigner in Damascus.
He called the proposed negotiations, which are being orchestrated by the US and Russia as a way of seeking a peaceful settlement in Syria, a waste of time because the regime would never compromise and western states will not increase their assistance to rebels whatever the outcome of the talks.
The SNC has been demanding that Mr Al Assad step down, but Syria's foreign minister, Walid Moallem, said on Wednesday that the Syrian president would stay on until at least 2014 and might seek a third seven-year presidential term.
The Assad family has ruled Syria, an authoritarian police state, since 1970, forcefully crushing any challenge to its power.
Yesterday the SNC, brought the brink of collapse by fractious infighting this week, was considering new demands by the rebel Free Syrian Army that it be given a major block of seats in the coalition.
That demand, prompted by the SNC's very public disarray, looks likely to scupper an impending deal between Islamists and moderates, headed by dissident writer Michael Kilo, for an expanded alliance.
The FSA is ostensibly the military wing of the SNC but this new demand for direct representation in political affairs underlines a spreading lack of faith in the SNC's competence among opposition and rebel factions.
In the first document the SNC has released since the meeting began, it said deciding on expanding the coalition democratically "takes time", but gave no details on what shape that expansion might take.
psands@thenational.ae
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Business Insights
- As per the document, there are six filing options, including choosing to report on a realisation basis and transitional rules for pre-tax period gains or losses.
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If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
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TRAP
Starring: Josh Hartnett, Saleka Shyamalan, Ariel Donaghue
Director: M Night Shyamalan
Rating: 3/5
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Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
Abu Dhabi traffic facts
Drivers in Abu Dhabi spend 10 per cent longer in congested conditions than they would on a free-flowing road
The highest volume of traffic on the roads is found between 7am and 8am on a Sunday.
Travelling before 7am on a Sunday could save up to four hours per year on a 30-minute commute.
The day was the least congestion in Abu Dhabi in 2019 was Tuesday, August 13.
The highest levels of traffic were found on Sunday, November 10.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi lost 41 hours spent in traffic jams in rush hour during 2019
SERIES INFO
Schedule:
All matches at the Harare Sports Club
1st ODI, Wed Apr 10
2nd ODI, Fri Apr 12
3rd ODI, Sun Apr 14
4th ODI, Sun Apr 16
UAE squad
Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
Zimbabwe squad
Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
NINE WINLESS GAMES
Arsenal 2-2 Crystal Palace (Oct 27, PL)
Liverpool 5-5 Arsenal (Oct 30, EFL)
Arsenal 1-1 Wolves (Nov 02, PL)
Vitoria Guimaraes 1-1 Arsenal (Nov 6, Europa)
Leicester 2-0 Arsenal (Nov 9, PL)
Arsenal 2-2 Southampton (Nov 23, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Eintracht Frankfurt (Nov 28, Europa)
Norwich 2-2 Arsenal (Dec 01, PL)
Arsenal 1-2 Brighton (Dec 05, PL)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed
Power: 720hp
Torque: 770Nm
Price: Dh1,100,000
On sale: now
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
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