Syria talks begin in Vienna under pall of Paris attacks

The Vienna talks featured foreign ministers and senior officials from the United States, Russian Federation and more than a dozen other countries including Middle Eastern foes Iran and Saudi Arabia.

It was their first meeting since Russian Federation launched its declared anti-Islamic State air bombardment in Syria at the end of September.

Allowing Bashar Al-Assad and gangs, militias and allies to remain in power, coupled with the Russian intervention in Syria.is the real cause of the terrorism that reached far beyond the Syrian border.

According to a separate statement due to be released later on Sunday, a draft of which was also seen by Reuters, they also agreed to step up border controls and aviation security in the wake of the Paris attacks, which they condemned as “heinous”.

But they carefully avoided the issue of when Assad might leave power, a dispute at the heart of the conflict, which has claimed more than 250,000 lives and generated more than 4 million refugees.

Any cease-fire between Assad, the rebels, and their respective worldwide backers, would not apply to ISIS and the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra, but beyond that it gets a little murky.

A few 17 countries and three global bodies are expected in Vienna, where talks will focus on progress towards political transition in Syria, achieving a reduction in violence, building trust and improving humanitarian access.

Whilst states’ attending the talks are meant to be representing differing sides of the Syrian conflict, Samir Nachar from the Syrian National Coalition criticised the talks for excluding representatives from the Syrian opposition and government.

British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond said on Friday that Assad “has to go”.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said he welcomed the renewed sense of urgency to find a solution to the war in Syria after the Paris attacks, adding the world had a “rare moment” of diplomatic opportunity to end the violence. But diplomats admit there are no signs the Vienna session will produce a breakthrough.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif told Iranian state TV Saturday that the attacks in Paris show the urgency of fighting terrorism and extremism on a global level. Lavrov said the Syrian government already had put forward its representatives, with the United Nations special envoy for Syria, Staffan de Mistura, to begin immediate work on determining who should sit at the table as part of the opposition team.