SNC says won’t attend Geneva II if Iran invited

21.1.2014 – Kurdpress – The so-called Syrian National Council (SNC) says it will not take part in the upcoming Geneva II conference unless Iran’s invitation, announced earlier by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, is retracted.

“The Syrian Coalition announces that they will withdraw their attendance in Geneva 2 unless Ban Ki-moon retracts Iran’s invitation,” Reuters quoted SNC spokesman Louay Safi as saying on Monday. The remarks were published shortly after the UN chief said he invited Iran to take part in the conference. Ban said Tehran has accepted the invitation though no official statement has been published by Iranian officials so far. Iran has previously said that it would not attend the conference if conditions are set for its participation. On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif described as unacceptable any preconditions for the Islamic Republic’s participation in the talks. The Geneva II conference will kick off in the Swiss city of Montreux on January 22 and then move to the UN headquarters in Geneva on January 24 after a one-day break.