Saudi-Backed Syrian Opposition Schools UN Envoy De Mistura Over 'Intervention'

The initiative of UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura to personally form a united delegation of the Syrian opposition is unacceptable and it disregards the ability of the Syrian people's representatives to handle the matter, spokesman of Syria's Saudi-backed Opposition High Negotiations Committee (HNC) Salem Meslet said Wednesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura said on Tuesday he would select the delegates for Geneva talks himself if a united Syrian opposition delegation is not formed by February 8.

"Mr. De Mistura talks about his intention to form a delegation of the opposition is unacceptable and is a disregard for the ability of representatives of the Syrian people. The delegation of the Syrian people is only formed by the representatives of the Syrian people. Can Mr. De Mistura intervene in the formation of Assad's delegation?" the statement reads.

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura is attempting to circumvent the Geneva communique on Syria and the negotiations process by using the Astana negotiations as the reference, the HNC said.

"The Geneva communique 2012 is the reference for any negotiation about Syria. Mr. De Mistura, referring to Astana and his deliberate disregard of the Geneva communique 2012 is an attempt to circumvent the Geneva communique and the whole political process and the negotiations."

Earlier in the day, a spokesman of the Syria's Tomorrow Movement told Sputnik that differing visions on the future of Syria among the opposition parties make it extremely difficult to form a unified front, adding that the group opposes the "official" opposition's activities, namely "lenience" toward al-Nusra Front terrorist group, "which is unacceptable."