After the farce to the participation of Iran, the peace conference for Syria has begun. Western diplomats gave skeptical – in front of the conference building demonstrated Assad supporters.

In Montreux, Switzerland has started the Peace Conference for Syria on Wednesday morning. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said at the beginning, the parties to the conflict in Syria could dare at the meeting “a new beginning” in the search for a solution to the bloody conflict. He demanded that international aid workers get full access to the needy areas.

In addition to delegates from the Syrian government and the opposition is also being attended by around 40 countries and regional confederations participated in the talks. Are designed to enable the civil war . As of Friday direct negotiations between the regime and the opposition are planned. They are a ceasefire and the formation of a transitional government agreed. However, diplomats expect no quick success.

The conference had been until recently on the brink. Ban invited on weekends surprisingly Iran , but did so after boycott threats from the Syrian opposition shortly thereafter reversed.

Iran’s President Hassan Rohani said Wednesday doubts about the success of the conference. ” All indications are that we can not have much hope that the Geneva II conference will find a solution to the problems of the Syrian people and the fight against terrorism ,” Rohani said before leaving for the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland . Tehran supports the Government in the Syrian civil war.

Syria Peace Conference:Steinmeier and US Secretary of State Kerry skeptical

Even Western diplomats dampened expectations. German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said: “There will be no miracle on this day But that is spoken is important enough..” The goal is to at least get now a “introduction to humanitarian solutions.”

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry stressed before, it’ll go in these negotiations not only to humanitarian issues and local ceasefire agreements, but a comprehensive peace solution. Several hundred supporters of President Bashar al-Assad protesting outside the conference building. They shouted: “With our souls and our blood we defend you, oh Bashar.”

In Syria there since 2011 civil war. More than 130,000 people were killed. Thousands are still missing. Assad has rejected all calls for his resignation date. He does not participate in the negotiations.

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