by Taylor Luck, JORDAN TIMES

DEAD SEA — The prospects of launching peace talks between Syrian regime and opposition forces remain “dim”, leading diplomats said on Saturday, calling for UN Security Council intervention to bring an end to the two-year conflict.

During a panel session at the World Economic Forum on the Middle East and North Africa at the Dead Sea, veteran Arab diplomats and Western officials cast doubt over the ability of an upcoming international Syria summit in Geneva to bring Damascus and opposition forces to the negotiating table, citing previous diplomatic failures.

“I don’t have high hopes that the conference will succeed… but right now it is the only opening,” Arab League chief Nabil El Araby said during the panel session.

The Arab League chief highlighted the failure of past efforts to launch talks between Syrian regime and opposition forces, noting that despite outlining a framework for a potential transfer of power, the outcomes of a similar conference in Geneva in June 2012 have yet to be implemented.

Araby noted that despite being “very disorganised”, Syrian opposition forces remain united in their calls for President Bashar Assad to step down, a pre-condition viewed as a non-starter by Damascus allies Russia and Iran.

One of the largest obstacles to the so-called “Geneva II” conference remains the widening proxy war within Syria, regional officials said, noting that a joint initiative by Washington and Moscow to facilitate peace talks is being undermined by their readiness to widen military support to rebel and regime forces respectively.

Meanwhile, a leading US senator maintained that the greatest threat to peace prospects is Damascus’ recent military gains, claiming that Assad is unlikely to sit at the negotiating table if the balance of the conflict is tipping towards his favour.

“Unless you change the tipping point, Assad will believe he can survive through a war of attrition,” said Robert Menendez, chairman of the US Senate Foreign Relations.

Amid the dimming prospects for Geneva II, Araby stressed that the UN Security Council remains the sole body to enforce a ceasefire in Syria and bring government and opposition forces to the negotiating table.

“We need the UN Security Council to live up to its charter and stop the violence to arrive at a solution,” Araby said.

Araby’s comments come in line with a move by the Arab League last week to petition the UN to intervene to end the bloodshed ahead of the Geneva summit.

Amr Musa, former Arab League chief, reiterated Araby’s calls for UN intervention, describing a ceasefire as a precondition to any potential peace talks.

“The Security Council has to address this situation and call for an immediate ceasefire — and then start negotiations,” Musa said.

“Or we will be back at square one.”