Astana 3 talks start, opposition clarifies reasons for boycotting

The head of opposition fighters’ delegation to Astana talks Muhammad Alloush has reiterated that opposition will not attend the next round of Astana talks because none of commitments that Russia made regarding the ceasefire and halting the bombardment on the liberated areas has been met, in addition to the forced displacement imposed on the population of al-Waer neighborhood in Homs.

In a series of postings of Twitter, Alloush clarified why opposition’s delegation boycotted the talks in the Kazakh capital.

Alloush listed a number of reason for the opposition’s decision, which include; The displacement of the population of al-Waer neighborhood in Homs; Assad regime’s continued policy of ‘truce’ and ‘reconciliations’; the ongoing shelling and attacks on Ghouta, Barzah, and Qaboun near Damascus; The displacement of Wadi Barada population; Assad regime’s abstention from releasing detainees.

Alloush added that Russia double-standards policy in dealing opposition is also a reason, as the Russian give big promises at the negotiation table, but on the ground they send their officers and threaten the populations to let Assad terrorists loose on them.

Alloush pointed out that opposition does not like killing, but wants a just peace, which they went in search for and “has not found it yet”.

On Monday, Kazakhstan’s Foreign Minister Kairat Abdrakhmanov said participants arrived in the capital Astana for the third round of Syrian peace talks, while opposition spokesperson Osama Abu Zeid said that the opposition would not attend.