US urges main opposition group to attend Syrian peace talks

The United States said on Thursday that the Syrian opposition has made "legitimate" demands for aid to besieged areas but nevertheless urged it to attend planned peace talks.

The main Syrian opposition coalition announced earlier that day it would not attend UN-brokered talks in Geneva until a deal is struck to supply food and care to beleaguered civilians.

Talks had been due to start on Friday, and Washington - while expressing sympathy for the rebel demands - said it was important to maintain momentum in the peace process.

"This is really an historic opportunity for them to go to Geneva to propose serious, practical ways to implement a ceasefire and other confidence-building measures," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.

"And we still believe they should do so without preconditions," he said. "We believe these demands, while legitimate, shouldn't keep the talks from moving forward."

The spokesman cited UN estimates that 486,000 Syrians are trapped in besieged areas, 274,000 of them surrounded by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad.

"All parties must allow for immediate, unconditional and unfettered humanitarian assistance to reach those in need in all of the besieged areas," Toner said.

But he insisted that the opposition's anger on this point should not be a reason to delay or abandon the talks, which Washington sees as key to kick-starting a peace process.

Russia has pushed for the inclusion of Syria’s Democratic Union Party (PYD), the Kurdish group fighting in northeast Syria, and its own list of political opponents of the Syrian government, either as part of the HNC or a second opposition delegation.

They have also pushed for the exclusion of the Jaish al-Islam rebel group, calling it a terrorist group.

Turkish officials have said they strongly oppose the involvement of the PYD, and its military wing, the People's Protection Units (YPG), from taking part in the talks, and said on Wednesday that it will boycott Geneva if they are invited. Ankara considers both groups to be offshoots of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which it considers a terrorist group.

Many Syrian activists have taken to social media to condemn the talks.

Translation: Geneva will save the criminal gangs from (being held responsible for) all their crimes in Syria. #DontGoToGeneva #BoycottTheGenevaNegotiations

The UN says that more than a quarter-million Syrians have died in the war, soon to enter its fifth year. Millions of others have fled.