United States Department of State,
Department Spokesperson
Washington, DC
November 26, 2017
The United States notes the successful conclusion of the Riyadh II conference of the Syrian opposition and its work to bring together a diverse array of groups to form a unified delegation that can enter into substantive negotiations in the upcoming round of UN sponsored talks in Geneva.
The United States commends the role of Saudi Arabia, the organizer of the Syrian Opposition Conference in Riyadh. We congratulate the new Negotiating Committee and its General Coordinator Nasr Hariri, as they prepare to embark on the discussions that can ultimately lead to a political solution to the conflict.
The process that can bring this about must include full implementation of UNSCR 2254, including constitutional reform and free and fair elections under UN supervision, held to the highest international standards of transparency, with all Syrians, including members of the diaspora, eligible to participate.
The Geneva process, as it gains traction towards constitutional reform and UN-supervised elections, should include the broadest spectrum of Syrian citizens, including all groups with representation and influence on the ground who express commitment to a new Syria as outlined in UNSCR 2254. The formation of the unified delegation for this round of UN-led Geneva talks is a positive step in that direction. We hope that all parties to the talks in Geneva will display the seriousness and flexibility to find a solution that can bring an end to this conflict and to the suffering of the Syrian people. We call in particular upon the Syrian regime now to enter into substantive negotiations in Geneva on the basis of UNSCR 2254.
