Syrian opposition in Turkey to prepare for Geneva talks

By Selen Temizer

ANKARA (AA) - Representatives of the Syrian opposition arrived Friday in Turkish capital Ankara to discuss the upcoming negotiation talks in Geneva, according to a Turkish diplomatic source.

The representatives of both the armed and the political opposition will attend a meeting at the Turkish Foreign Ministry later on Friday, the source told Anadolu Agency on condition of anonymity.

They are also expected to discuss the outcome of last month's Astana talks, which focused on extending the cease-fire that came into effect in Syria on Dec. 30.

The cease-fire was brokered by Turkey, which backs the opposition, and Russia and Iran, who support the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The General Coordinator of the High Negotiations Committee Riad Hijab, Syrian National Coalition President Anas al-Abdah, representatives of armed opposition groups who attended the Astana talks last month, representatives of the Kurdish National Council in Syria as well as the Ankara-based Council of Syrian Turkmen will be the participants of the meeting.

The source added that some religious scholars as well as Druze and Alevi individuals would also be present.

The Druze is an indigenous community with a peculiar religious and cultural background that resides in the rugged Jabal al-Arab region in the southeast with a population of 500,000, or 3 percent of the pre-war population, according to UN data.

There are less than three million Alevis living mainly in coastal Latakia, according to media reports. Although the Assad family are members of the Alevi sect, reports say that one third of the Syrian Alevis have been killed and many have escaped the country since the civil war started in 2011.

On Feb. 6, a "technical meeting" about Syria will be held in Kazakhstan's capital Astana with the attendance of representatives of Turkey, Russia, Iran and UN.

The next round of negotiations will be held between the government and opposition in Geneva on Feb. 20.