France denies banning Syrian delegation's plane attending Geneva 2 to pass over its territory

France denied on Monday reports on banning plane carrying Syrian delegation heading to Geneva from passing over its territory.

Earlier media reports stated that French authorities vowed not to let the official Syrian delegation pass over its territory tomorrow, a move which the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has condemned "as an attempt to torpedo the Geneva-2 conference on Syrian peace at all costs."

The peace talks in Geneva are intended to bring together for the first time representatives of Syrian President Bashar Assad's government and members of the Western-backed opposition that is trying to overthrow him. Diplomats and political leaders acknowledge that a quick end is unlikely for a conflict that has killed more than 130,000 people and touched off the worst humanitarian crisis in decades.

The battle lines have been largely frozen since early 2013, and the Syrian National Coalition has little sway or respect within Syria's rebellion. But the U.N.-hosted peace talks in Geneva and Montreux this week had raised hopes of at least getting the two sides to talk expectations that were called into question on Monday.

The aim of the conference, dubbed Geneva 2, is to agree on a road map for Syria based on one adopted by the U.S., Russia and other major powers in June 2012.

That plan includes the creation of a transitional government of national unity, with full executive powers, and eventual elections.



LBCI/AP