Al-Moallem from Iraq: Syria to Attend Geneva Peace Conference

Local Editor

Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Sunday that his government will take part in a peace conference in Geneva, naming it a "good opportunity for a political solution" to the Syrian crisis.

During a surprise visit to Baghdad, Moallem praised an Iraqi army operation against militants near the border with Syria. During a news conference in Baghdad, he said that he had told his counterpart Hoshyar Zebari and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki of the decision to attend the planned Geneva II talks in June.
President Bashar al-Assad's regime had agreed "in principle to participate in the international conference which is supposed to be convened in Geneva," al-Moallem said. "The international conference represents a good opportunity for a political solution to the crisis in Syria," he expressed.

Al-Moallem also criticized countries supporting militants, saying that "the regional countries that conspire against Syria are the same that support terrorism in Iraq."
Praising a massive Iraqi army operation against militants in the country's west, he noted "We are (pleased) with the steps taken by the Iraqi army in fighting al-Qaeda members. This is an Iraqi-Syrian issue, because those (militants) who are in Syria are connected to those who are in Iraq."
He added that both Iraq and Syria agreed that "Iraq cannot be in the camp of enemies of Syria."

Iraq launched an operation on Saturday to improve security in its western desert, amid concerns it is being used by militants heading to fight against Assad's regime.

Source: News Agencies, edited by website team