Syria talks result in ‘concrete calendar’ leading to elections: German FM

As diplomats return to Vienna for another round of Syria talks Saturday, they are grappling with questions that have scuttled all previous attempts to forge a cease-fire and usher in a political transition: Other than the Islamic State group, who are the terrorists?

(Adds details, background, quotes) By David Brunnstrom and Arshad Mohammed WASHINGTON, Nov 12 (Reuters) – U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry urged nations gathering for Syria peace talks to show flexibility and said the chances of a diplomatic solution hinged in part on the military balance.

Agence France Presse reported, on Thursday November 12th, that, though “peace” talks about Syria, between the U.S.-allied nations and the Russia-allied nations, were planned to occur on November 14th, “the United States warned a deal is unlikely without agreement over the fate of President Bashar al-Assad”.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said world diplomats gathered in Vienna had agreed on a fixed calendar for Syria that would see a transition government in six months and elections in 18 months.

Steinmeier spoke at the end of a daylong meeting of almost 20 countries represented by foreign ministers and their deputies seeking to end Syria’s war.

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday the Russian air force had already struck a few targets in Syria identified by the Free Syrian Army (FSA), a fact he said disproved allegations Moscow was bombing the moderate opposition.

Other than the Islamic State group, who are the extremists?

In a joint statement, the countries involved in the talks, including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey and the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, also said they would push for formal talks between Bashar al Assad’s government and opposition groups by January 1.

He said he is convinced that a dialogue with not only the opposition but also the Syrian government must be conducted within the political negotiations.

“It is precisely through this political process that we can, for the first time, marshal the support of the entire worldwide community against a single common enemy – Daesh”, Kerry said.

The US says Assad forfeited the ability to lead Syria in the long term, while the Sunni monarchy of Saudi Arabia wants him toppled as part of a proxy war with Shiite Iran.

Now in its 5th year, the war has killed more than 250,000 people.

Sergei Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Minister, said that the majority of delegates wanted an immediate ceasefire in Syria. He joined the talks later in the day.

Syria’s opposition, after years of enduring Assad’s barrel bombs and chemical weapons, and the forced disappearances and torture chambers before them, have said over and over they could never accept that Assad stay in office.

“What country has managed to fight terrorism without a strong state to fight terrorism”, said Rouhani.

The document, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, makes no mention of Assad stepping down during the transition – a key opposition demand.

“And the one thing we can say to those people is that what they do in this is stiffen our resolve – all of us – to fight back, to hold people accountable and to stand up for rule of law, which is exactly what we are here to do”. The Islamic State took claim for the attack.