Lack of Syrian Terror Groups List Should Not Impede Intra-Syria Talks

The fact that the official list of terrorist organizations operating in Syria will not be decided on until next month should not impede the intra-Syria talks on settlement of the crisis, the coalition leader of Syria’s Popular Front for Change and Liberation told Sputnik on Monday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — During the last round of the International Syrian Support Group (ISSG) negotiations on the Syrian settlement on December 18, the sides failed to reach consensus on what groups within Syria should be designated as terrorist. The ISSG set a deadline of January 1 for talks between the Syrian government and opposition representatives.

"The list of terrorist organizations is still being discussed, the criteria are being discussed now. The fact that the lists of terrorist organizations will not be decided on before the beginning of the intra-Syria consultations next month should not become an obstacle for holding negotiations," Qadri Jamil said.

Last week, the UN Security Council supported the deadline arrangement in a resolution, adopted following talks of 18 ISSG foreign ministers. The resolution supports a ceasefire in Syria and calls on all parties to the Syrian conflict to allow humanitarian agencies to deliver aid to those in need.

On Tuesday, US State Secretary John Kerry said that the United States and Russia managed to narrow divisions related to Syrian terrorist designations during talks with Russian officials in Moscow.

Russia considers that forming a list of credible and moderate opposition representatives is a necessary condition for starting these intra-Syrian talks. Earlier this month, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said a sustainable settlement in Syria was impossible without an agreed single list of terrorist organizations operating in the country.