The following are excerpts from an interview with Jihad Makdissi, a former Foreign Ministry spokesman in Syria who fled in 2012 as the government of President Bashar al-Assad cracked down on antigovernment protesters. Mr. Makdissi, however, has not supported the rebels. He casts himself as a voice for the Syrians who remain on the sidelines, skeptical of the armed uprising but still wanting change.

Some of the questions and answers have been condensed and edited, and the order of the questions has in some cases been changed for clarity. Mr. Makdissi was interviewed in Dubai this month by Hala Droubi.

Q. What are the prospects for the Geneva 2 talks?

Mr. Makdissi. The opposition is adopting the “step aside” approach and focusing on the president; the loyalists are adopting the “let’s fight terrorism” approach. Meanwhile, Geneva is calling for the formation of a transitional body and a process of restructuring the country. So there’s a missing elephant in the room! That is why it’s in each side’s interest to make Geneva fail. Nobody likes Geneva. It’s like an orphan child that nobody wants, because they know that when they do attend Geneva they will lose something in the eyes of their crowds. People in Syria want to achieve change and not only regime change. People have a larger scope than the politicians.

Q. So is Geneva bound to fail?

A. No, it will happen, and it’s going to be a benchmark in the Syrian crisis. It will kick-start a long process that every Syrian, not every politician, wants. Syrians need a process in place that might give them a cease-fire as a first gain. And then you see what’s the defect in this process and work on it and improve it. Today there is an absence of process. So far, it’s fighting, fighting and fighting. So there is a need to give room for diplomacy after three years of failed strategies by everyone.