Italian FM calls for ceasefire in Syria during Geneva II peace talks

Italian Foreign Minister Emma Bonino called for a ceasefire in Syria, ahead of an intensive week of diplomatic work aimed to pave the way for the Geneva II peace conference, local media reported on Monday. A ceasefire would facilitate both international diplomatic efforts and humanitarian relief works on the ground, the minister said. "Guns should fall silent during negotiations. It is a most relevant condition because it would allow to open humanitarian corridors into the country and save human lives," Bonino said in an interview to La Stampa newspaper. "Ceasefire is not a 'pre-requisite' of the peace talk, of course, rather its first immediate goal," the Italian FM specified. The so-called "Friends of Syria" group gathered in Paris on Sunday, trying to put pressure on a divided Syrian opposition to attend Geneva II conference. Foreign ministers of 11 countries, mainly Western, Arab and Gulf countries, also set priorities and timetable of the peace talks, which are scheduled to begin on Jan. 22 in Switzerland. "Donor countries will meet in Kuwait on Jan. 15, and their conference will be crucial to boost the capacity of humanitarian efforts," Bonino explained. "United Nations' refugees agency (UNHCR) will be across refugee camps in Turkey on Jan. 17 and in the same time the Syrian Coalition will be gathering for three days in Istanbul to decide their participation in Geneva II talks," she added. Delegates from around 60 countries are expected to join the UN donors' conference in Kuwait, aimed at raising 6.5 billion U.S. dollars for more than 13 million Syrian in need of aid. It is the largest humanitarian appeal UNHCR had to make in its history for a single humanitarian emergency, according to UN. The number of Syrian refugees and internal displaced people have reached 6 millions, the Italian foreign minister reminded, saying "It is the largest and most dramatic humanitarian emergency of our times." "Italy has specifically asked for a ceasefire to be implemented during Geneva negotiations. Not only would it give the chance to help Syrian population, it would also give substance to the peace talks. But again, I want this to be clear ... It will not be a pre-condition, but an integral part of the negotiating efforts," the Italian foreign minister said. Role and participation of Iran in the peace talks has not been officially raised as an issue during the Paris meeting on Sunday, but Bonino said she discussed it with her German counterpart, Frank-Walter Steinmeier. "We will talk about it at the next European foreign ministers' Council scheduled on Jan. 20," Bonino said. Next Thursday, Bonino explained, it will be eventually announced which Italian port is going to receive the Syrian chemical weapons, which are supposed to transit in the country and be then destroyed elsewhere. The first Danish ship with the first batch of chemical weapons left the Syrian port of Latakia last week, according to UN.