“Egypt and Russia cannot be reproached because we’ve done everything to the maximum, positively and constructively. The problem is with the Syrian opposition themselves and those regional and non-regional states that are backing them. There’s a war going on for a so-called breakthrough and that’s why the Syrian opposition is running not only from the battle in Syria itself, but from the negotiations as well. This is poor tactics,” Kirpichenko told RIA Novosti in an interview.
Last week, UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura decided to postpone the UN-backed talks on Syrian reconciliation as the parties were unable to reach a compromise on a number of issues. The opposition and government delegations blamed each other for the breakdown in the talks.
Prior to the talks commencing, two delegations of the Syrian opposition were formed: the High Negotiations Committee (HNC), which was created in Saudi Arabia in December and included representatives from some groups considered to be terrorist organization by Syria and Russia, and a delegation created following consultations in Moscow and Cairo.
The negotiations, organized in line with the UN Security Council's December resolution that stipulated that the entire spectrum of political factions in the crisis-torn country should be brought to the negotiating table, are expected to resume on February 25.
