Geneva II Conference on Syria

Geneva II Conference on Syria. The conference was a United Nations-sponsored peace conference held in Montreux and Geneva, Switzerland, from January 22 to 31, 2014, with the aim of finding a solution to the Syrian Civil War. The conference was attended by representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, and other international parties, including the United States, Russia, European Union, China, Iran, Turkey, Arab League, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. The conference was also supported by the United Nations Security Council, which issued a statement calling for a peaceful resolution to the conflict, as seen in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2118.

● Introduction

The Geneva II Conference on Syria was a major international effort to bring an end to the Syrian Civil War, which had been ongoing since 2011 and had resulted in the deaths of over 100,000 people, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. The conference was the result of a long process of diplomatic efforts, including the Geneva I Conference on Syria held in 2012, which was attended by representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, the United States, Russia, China, France, United Kingdom, Turkey, Arab League, and the United Nations. The conference was also influenced by the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was signed by Syria in 2013, and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, which was responsible for overseeing the destruction of Syria's chemical weapons stockpile. The conference was supported by the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and the World Food Programme.

● Background

The Syrian Civil War began in 2011 as a popular uprising against the Bashar al-Assad regime, but it quickly escalated into a full-scale conflict involving multiple parties, including the Syrian Arab Army, the Free Syrian Army, and Jabhat al-Nusra. The conflict had resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and in need of assistance, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Rescue Committee. The international community had been trying to find a solution to the conflict, with the United States, Russia, and the European Union playing key roles in the diplomatic efforts, along with the Arab League, Turkey, and Iran. The conference was also influenced by the Middle East peace process, which had been ongoing since the 1990s, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which had been a major issue in the region for decades.

● Conference Proceedings

The conference began on January 22, 2014, in Montreux, Switzerland, with a speech by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, who called for a peaceful resolution to the conflict and an end to the suffering of the Syrian people, as seen in the United Nations General Assembly and the United Nations Human Rights Council. The conference was attended by representatives of the Syrian Arab Republic, the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, and other international parties, including the United States Secretary of State John Kerry, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, and European Union High Representative Catherine Ashton. The conference was facilitated by the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, who had been working to bring the parties together for months, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund.

● Major Issues and Discussions

The conference focused on several key issues, including the establishment of a transitional government, the cessation of violence, and the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need, as outlined in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2139. The parties also discussed the issue of chemical weapons and the need for Syria to comply with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention, as seen in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and the Hague Convention. The conference was also influenced by the Kurdish issue and the role of Kurdish forces in the conflict, as well as the Israeli-Syrian ceasefire line and the Golan Heights.

● Outcome and Aftermath

The conference ended on January 31, 2014, without a major breakthrough, but with an agreement to continue negotiations and to establish a framework for a transitional government, as seen in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2165. The parties also agreed to allow humanitarian assistance to reach besieged areas and to release detainees, as outlined in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2139. The conference was seen as a step towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but it was also criticized for not achieving more, particularly with regards to the issue of Bashar al-Assad's future role in Syria, as seen in the Syrian presidential election, 2014.

● International Reactions

The conference was widely covered in the international media, with many countries and organizations issuing statements and reactions, including the United States Department of State, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the European Union External Action Service. The conference was supported by the Arab League, Turkey, and Iran, which all played key roles in the diplomatic efforts, along with the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Children's Fund. The conference was also influenced by the G20, the G8, and the BRICS countries, which all had a stake in the outcome of the conflict, as seen in the G20 summit and the BRICS summit. The conference was seen as an important step towards a peaceful resolution to the conflict, but it was also criticized for not achieving more, particularly with regards to the issue of humanitarian assistance and the protection of civilians, as seen in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Category:International relations