DHAKA: The president of the opposition Syrian Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, has said the group is willing to attend a proposed Geneva conference to end two and a half years of conflict in Syria if it aims to establish a transitional government with full powers.

In a letter to the United Nations Security Council, obtained by media and dated September 19, Jarba said the coalition ‘reaffirms its willingness to engage in a future Geneva Conference’ but ‘all parties must ... agree that the purpose of the conference will be the establishment of a transitional government with full executive powers’ as stipulated by an agreement last year by international powers, reports Al Jazeera.

It was the first clear commitment by the Western-and-Arab-backed coalition to attend the proposed conference sponsored by the United States and Russia.

The coalition has been dithering on whether to attend, especially after a chemical weapons attack on August 21 that killed hundreds of people in Damascus.

The tragedy of the Syria war, which continues to rumble across the Mediterranean country, will undoubtedly take centre stage at UN headquarters when the annual General Assembly opens on Tuesday.

The Iranian president Hassan Rohani, a leading Syrian ally, is among the keynote speakers and has offered to mediate between the opposition and the Damascus government.

The opposition Syrian National Coalition has dismissed the offer as ‘not serious’.

BDST: 2032 HRS, SEPT 22, 2013
RoR/Jck