STORY SUMMARY

An international “peace” conference to tackle the crisis in Syria is taking shape for next month, but as the preparations for the event are ramping up, so is the level of pessimism.

The conference has been preceded by the setting of a number of conditions, by both sides.

At the same time, the Syrian regime has become increasingly emboldened in the run-up to the proposed conference.

If Russia and the U.S. do produce something in the way of a road map for ending the war, their ability to implement such a plan will not be measured in terms of time, but in terms of Syrian lives.

Read more: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/Opinion/Editorial/2013/May-31/218936-low-expectations.ashx#ixzz2UrMZfEhf
(The Daily Star :: Lebanon News :: http://www.dailystar.com.lb)