Syria Agrees to Talks with Opposition in Moscow, SNC Stipulates Assad Departure
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
The Syrian authorities have agreed to an offer by Russia to have informal talks in Moscow with opposition representatives to resolve the crisis in the country, the Russian foreign ministry said Monday, an offer swiftly rejected by the opposition.
Russia had suggested to both the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and the opposition that they should meet in Moscow for "informal contacts" without any preconditions, the foreign ministry said.
"Our offer has already received a positive response from the Syrian authorities. We are expecting that the opposition will also give their assent in the next days and put the interests of the Syrian people before any other ideas," it said.
But the head of the Syrian National Council said later on Monday that the opposition rejects all talks with the Damascus regime until President Bashar al-Assad steps down.
"The resignation of Assad is the condition for any negotiation on the transition to a democratic government in Syria," Burhan Ghalioun told Agence France Presse.
Moscow's diplomatic moves come at a time of mounting concern that the clashes between the opposition and regime forces have become even deadlier with 80 people killed across Syria on Sunday alone, according to activists.
This is on top of what the United Nations said at the start of January already amounted to 5,400 deaths in the standoff.
Russia also appears keen to prove it is playing a constructive role to defuse the crisis, amid mounting Western frustration over Moscow's refusal to support a U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the Assad regime.
The foreign ministry said that the talks in Moscow were "acutely necessary for the immediate cessation of all violence in Syria and preventing a bloody split in society."
They would also help ensure the "success for profound democratic changes in the country, in line with the hopes of all Syrians."
Russia said its offer to host talks was motivated by its desire to see an end to the crisis "through a peaceful mechanism worked out by the Syrians themselves, without international interference."
Moscow still maintains close ties with the secular regime in Damascus that were cultivated under Assad's father and strongman predecessor Hafez al-Assad and extend to having a naval base in the country and supplying arms.
30 January 2012, 16:46
28
Too late for Bashar. His house is falling and he has killed to many for any reconciliation now. Your navy base is gone now.
30 January 2012, 16:48
16
dream on cookie of stupidity :)
there will be no dialogue as already advised by the opposition.
the only terrorists are the syro/iranians and their dogs the FPM.
30 January 2012, 16:54
16
It would be good for both parties to commence talks if these talks are not another ploy by the Assad regime to appear as if they are the innocent and the opposition parties are the terrorists. Unfortunately, this happened like this flagrantly with the Arab observers and all of us know what the consequences were: more killing and zero results from the observers' move.
My gut feeling is for the opposition to start arming themselves and attacking the regime's cadres. It's only thru this way that Assad could be toppled.
After all the people will prevail ultimately no matter what.
30 January 2012, 17:17
41
Like how the lebanese won when Syria left. What a joke. There will always be collars on your necks, no matter what. Isn't funny, how always the leaders of the opposition are the first to run out of the country. Only idiots fight, they have nothing and never will.
30 January 2012, 20:37
01
I want to visit Syria and urinate on Bashar Assad' tomb after they hang him. That is why now I am drinking lots of water...
30 January 2012, 20:38
00
Syria got what it deserved... What goes around, comes around.
30 January 2012, 20:41
13
more stupidity from the king of stupidity and blindness. did you take an appointment for your surgery? I am anxiously waiting to see the face of the doctors when they open your head to see there is nothing in it.
cookie of stupidity :)
30 January 2012, 22:15
01
Too late for talks--Bashar may end up having more blood on his hands than his father.
and that's saying something.
30 January 2012, 22:46
00
Speaking of departures......it looks like Bashar tried to get his mommy and family out of the country. This smells a lok like Libya to me.
http://times247.com/articles/free-syrian-forces-foil-first-lady-s-attempt-to-flee
31 January 2012, 01:18
02
Why even bother replying to the likes of cookie_monster? You should raise the level of discourse and descend to his level.
@Cookie When you deny the atrocities committed by the syrian regime then there is nothing that can be said to convince you... You should seriously reconsider your views...
31 January 2012, 08:03
10
The funny part is that SNC thinks Russia was referring to them. The Syrian government doesn't recognize them and Russia already met with them and determined they're weak, foreign-funded and non-representative of the Syrian people. Silly SNC, they're talking before even getting an invitation.
01 February 2012, 00:43
00
Cookie, are you getting ready to forge ballots in Bourj Hammoud? Elections are not too far away, you know...
