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Syrian government calls Bashar al-Assad a 'red line' in peace talks
Source: The Guardian and agencies
Syrian government calls Bashar al-Assad a 'red line' in peace talks
Foreign minister says opposition must ‘abandon delusions’
of a Syria without Assad as president or talks will fail
Nicola Slawson and agencies
Saturday 12 March 2016 13.48 GMT
The Syrian government has said that peace talks will fail if any party tries to discuss the presidency in a transition government, calling the incumbent president, Bashar al-Assad, a “red line”.
The comments made by Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Muallem, at a Saturday press conference before the UN-led the talks on Monday have put “the nails in the coffin” of the peace process before it even starts, the opposition said.
A delegation from the Syrian government is heading to Geneva on Sunday, but will not stay for more than 24 hours if the opposition does not show up.
“We will not talk to anyone who talks about the position of the presidency. Bashar (al-Assad) is a red line; the property of the Syrian people,” Muallem said during the televised news conference in Damascus. “I advise them that if this is (the opposition’s) thinking, they shouldn’t come to the talks. They must abandon these delusions.”
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Foreign minister says opposition must ‘abandon delusions’
of a Syria without Assad as president or talks will fail
Nicola Slawson and agencies
Saturday 12 March 2016 13.48 GMT
The Syrian government has said that peace talks will fail if any party tries to discuss the presidency in a transition government, calling the incumbent president, Bashar al-Assad, a “red line”.
The comments made by Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Muallem, at a Saturday press conference before the UN-led the talks on Monday have put “the nails in the coffin” of the peace process before it even starts, the opposition said.
A delegation from the Syrian government is heading to Geneva on Sunday, but will not stay for more than 24 hours if the opposition does not show up.
“We will not talk to anyone who talks about the position of the presidency. Bashar (al-Assad) is a red line; the property of the Syrian people,” Muallem said during the televised news conference in Damascus. “I advise them that if this is (the opposition’s) thinking, they shouldn’t come to the talks. They must abandon these delusions.”
[font size=1]-snip-[/font]
Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/12/syrian-government-calls-bashar-al-assad-a-red-line-in-peace-talks