Palestinian aide to UN Syria mediator sacked over Syrian ultimatum

DEBKAfile reports: The Assad government informed UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday that it will boycott international conferences on Syria, including Part 2 of Geneva II, if Nasser Al-Kidwa attends as deputy to UN mediator Lakhdar Brahimi.  Al Kidwa is a former Palestinian foreign minister and member of the Fatah Central Committee. The Syrians refuse to accept any Palestinian in a decision-making capacity in talks on their future.  Ban accordingly informed Al-Kidwa that his services were no longer required as of this week.