Syrian government and opposition jockey ahead of Geneva II
As preparations continue for the Geneva II conference, both the Syrian opposition and the regime seem increasingly divided over their respective positions on the talks.
![SYRIA-CRISIS/OPPOSITION Arab League Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi (R) speaks to President of the Syrian National Coalition Ahmad Jarba during the Arab foreign ministers' meeting in Cairo November 3, 2013. The Syrian opposition set terms on Sunday for attending peace talks to end the Syrian civil war, in a move that throws the proposed conference into further confusion after the international envoy said there should be no preconditions. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTX14Z0R](/sites/default/files/styles/article_hero_medium/public/almpics/2013/11/RTX14Z0R.jpg/RTX14Z0R.jpg?h=2d235432&itok=aYSNOzUF)
The Syrian scene is getting more blurry and complicated as political and diplomatic efforts compete with military battles for gains on the ground prior to the Geneva II conference, for which a date has yet to be agreed upon.
On Nov. 11, the opposition Syrian National Coalition (SNC) announced its readiness to participate in the conference on the condition that it leads to the formation of a transitional authority with full powers and that the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad does not have a role in the transitional phase.