Kerry hopes for clarity on Syria talks within 24 to 48 hrs

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said he hoped for "clarity" within 24 to 48 hours on Syrian peace talks that were supposed to have started in Geneva on Jan. 25, and that it was better to delay a few days than to have them crumble at the start.

Kerry told reporters on a visit to Laos he agreed with the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura that invitations for the talks should not be sent out until "you have pieces lined up." 

The future of the talks was in the hands of the Syrian parties, he added. 

"They have to be serious. If they are not serious, war will continue. Up to them - you can lead a horse to water; you can't make it drink," Kerry said. 

"We have created a framework; the Syrians have the ability to decide the future of Syria. 

"We will have to see what decision Staffan makes as to exactly how he is going to begin; but we don't want to decide and have it crumble on day one. It's worth taking a day or two, or three, or whatever. 

The talks between the Syrian government and opposition had been due to start in Geneva on Jan. 25, but a Western diplomat said on Sunday they were unlikely to begin before Jan. 27. 

"We are gonna have the meeting and they (the talks) are gonna start, we will have clarity I hope within 24 hours, somewhere like that, 48, something pretty soon," Kerry said.

The Syrian government has said it is ready to attend, but the opposition's High Negotiation Committee, which groups political and armed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad, has said it will not until the government halts bombardments, lifts blockades, and releases detainees - steps mentioned in a United Nations Security Council resolution last month. 

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