Al-Assad To Brahimi: Sponsors must Halt Support for Terrorists, Syrians Will Decide on Geneva
Local Editor
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told the international envoy Lakhdar Brahimi Wednesday that foreign support for the armed opposition must end if any political solution to the country's conflict is to succeed, state-run media said.
Brahimi's trip to Damascus was the latest stop on a regional tour in recent days as he tries to lay the groundwork for the proposed talks in Geneva that are tentatively planned for next month.
"For any political solution to be successful, it is crucial to halt support for terrorist groups and the countries that sponsor them, facilitate the entry of terrorist mercenaries and offer them money, weapons and logistical support," al-Assad was quoted by al-Ikhbariya television as telling Brahimi.
"The Syrian people alone are entitled to draw the future of Syria. Any solution must be approved by them and reflect their wishes away from any foreign intervention."
"This is paramount to prepare the circumstances for dialogue and put clear mechanisms that achieve this goal," al-Assad said.
The meeting Wednesday between Brahimi and al-Assad was the first direct contact between the men in 10 months.
Arab and Western officials revealed that international powers are unlikely to meet their goal of convening the talks next month as differences emerge between Washington and Moscow over opposition representation.
US, Russian and UN envoys are due to meet in Geneva next Tuesday as part of the preparation for the long-delayed peace conference, which was first proposed back in May.
A main point of contention, the official said, is the role of the Western-backed opposition coalition - an issue which has flared up since a meeting in London last week of Western and Gulf Arab countries opposed to al-Assad.
UN Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson said Wednesday: "We'll continue to work diligently for a conference in Geneva and we're working intensely."
Several officials, including Arab League chief Nabil al-Arabi have said they expect the Geneva II conference to convene on Nov. 23, though the United States, Russia and the United Nations have all said no date has been officially set.
"A date has not been officially set because no one wants it to be officially postponed," a Western diplomat said. "But it has been clear all along the aim was Nov 23. It looks now that it will be de facto postponed."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Wednesday blasted critics of the US-Russia initiative, warning that toppling al-Assad regime militarily posed a "huge threat" to the area.
"Open objections have surfaced against holding this Russia-U.S. meeting, not only among Syrian sides but also among capitals, both in neighboring and non-neighboring states," Lavrov said during a visit to Athens.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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