Epstein Secrets

it may provide a last opportunity for the United States and Russia to agree on the framework for the negotiations to end the war that were begun in Geneva last year. New statements of support for a diplomatic solution have come this week from President Obama, Secretary of State John Kerry and, perhaps

in and over Syria. On the face of things, there are few grounds for optimism. Absurdly, Syria is not even formally on the agenda in St Petersburg. Lakhdar Brahimi, the UN and Arab League envoy for Syria, is apparently not even due to attend the meeting. Add to EFTA00678425 that Russia's generally obstructio

gotiator, Lady Catherine Ashton. "What I have heard from Secretary Kerry and Lady Ashton is that they are committed to an early finalization of the Geneva process with a view to reaching a comprehensive agreement. I share that objective." Dressed in a diplomat's blue pinstripe suit and speaking in flu

re workable. We have discussed this with various friends; we've discussed this with Turkey, we've discussed this with [U.N. Special Representative] Lakhdar Brahimi, we've discussed this with the Syrian government. Have you talked with the United States about this? We have not had any discussions with the U.S.

Syria, UN—Arab League Joint Special Enjoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi held a third trilateral meeting with US and Russian diplomats on January 11th in Geneva. According to press reports, Brahimi was quoted after the meeting as saying, "if you are asking me whether a solution is around the corner, I'm not

ity continue, but without noticeable progress. Following a meeting with Assad on December 24th in Syria, UN—Arab League Joint Special Enjoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi held a third trilateral meeting with US and Russian diplomats on January 11th in Geneva. According to press reports, Brahimi was quoted after the me

n country. And it will be possible, to paraphrase Seyyed Mohammad Reza Sajjadi, the Iranian Permanent Representative at the United Nations Office in Geneva, the potential Afghan refugees will remain in their homes only if there are 'secure and decent' conditions in the country.30 Again here, this burde

it threatened to strike at Iranian cities if the Iranian troops would dare to penetrate the Afghan territory.38 It was only the decisive action of Lakhdar Brahimi (the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General) that helped avoid a war that the Afghan 'hawks' clearly wanted. After these tensions, the m

opposition groups as proxies of regional and Western states participating in the plot against Syria. In his view, anything decided as part of the Geneva process or his own coalition- building efforts would also need to be confirmed by a national referendum run by the regime. Overall, Assad's account

tlement. Whatever the case, the attempt to include Iran in the talks should come as no surprise -- for months, UN Special Representative for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has privately and publicly lobbied Western and Arab countries to allow Iran into the Geneva process. While Secretary of State John Kerry has said t

power. Thus, Iran has not feared U.S. military strikes against its nuclear weapons program, and now, as a result of November's interim agreement in Geneva, it does not even fear international economic sanctions. Neither the Bashar Assad regime nor Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria see any prospect of mater

st be giggling. Options that "may not exist" has the sound of Bert Lahr as the Cowardly Lion in the "Wizard of Oz": "Put 'em up. Put ' em up." For Lakhdar Brahimi, the United Nations mediator for Syria, this may come too late. He has failed to end the civil war if only because Assad won't. (Assad even seized