For Immediate Release: January 16, 2013
Contact: Steven Ruder, sruder@usip.org

(Washington) – As negotiators finalize their preparations for next week’s Syria peace talks in Geneva, USIP Syria expert Steven Heydemann is available for media interviews. Heydemann, USIP’s vice president for Applied Research on Conflict, provides regular analysis of the ongoing Syrian war for government officials, domestic and foreign news organizations, and academic journals.

"While no one expects this first Geneva II meeting to achieve the implementation of all of the recommendations contained in the Geneva Communique, two less ambitious objectives are plausible. First is an agreement between the regime and opposition to keep talking, with the immediate aim of reaching agreement – within a fixed period – on a process for moving negotiations forward, including benchmarks for progress and a timetable for implementation. Second is a cease-fire agreement that would pause armed conflict. Both of these hold out some hope for changing the dynamics on the ground in ways that would improve longer-term prospects for a negotiated settlement on the basis of Geneva I, which must remain the defining framework for any settlement."

Dr. Heydemann is available for additional comment. He can be reached directly at sheydemann@usip.org or by phone at 202-429-3857 or by contacting USIP’s Office of Public Affairs and Communications at interviews@usip.org. 

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The United States Institute of Peace is an independent, nonpartisan conflict management center created by Congress to prevent and mitigate international conflict through nonviolent means. USIP works to save lives, increase the government’s ability to deal with conflicts before they escalate, reduce government costs, and enhance national security. USIP is headquartered in Washington, DC. To learn more, visit www.usip.org.