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Conflict in Syria

Syrian opposition delegation received at Russian Foreign Ministry

A delegation of Syria’s opposition National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change led by its general coordinator held talks with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov

Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow Natalya Garnelis/TASS

Russian Foreign Ministry building in Moscow

© Natalya Garnelis/TASS

MOSCOW, November 9. /TASS/. Russian president’s special envoy for the Middle East and African countries and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov received on Monday a delegation of Syria’s opposition National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change led by its general coordinator.

"The sides discussed in detail the situation in and around Syria with a focus on issues of political and diplomatic settlement of the Syrian crisis," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

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"Special attention was paid to the launch of inclusive intra-Syria negotiating process of the basis of the Geneva communique of June 30, 2012 and with efficient international backing, as provided by the Syria support group statement adopted in Vienna on October 30," the ministry said.

Participants in the multilateral talks on the Syrian settlement that were held in the Austrian capital city of Vienna on October 30 adopted a joint nine-point statement to outline the course of political process and anti-terror efforts in that country.

Thus, under the document participants in the talks invited the United Nations to convene representatives of the Syrian government and opposition for a political process leading credible, inclusive, non-sectarian governance, followed by a new constitution and elections that must be administered under UN supervision and involve all Syrians, including the diaspora. The statement also envisages that humanitarian access be ensured throughout the Syrian territory and that the country’s state institutions remain intact. The document stresses the necessity to accelerate diplomatic efforts to settle the Syrian conflict.

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