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Conflict in Syria

French top diplomat says no unity in Syria possible as long as Assad is president

The 5+5 Dialogue embraces five countries of southern Europe, namely Italy, Spain, Malta, Portugal and France, and five Maghreb countries, or Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia

© AP Photo/A.M. Ahad

RABAT, October 8. /TASS/. No unity in Syria is possible as long as Bashar Assad is Syrian president, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Wednesday at a ministerial conference of the 5+5 Dialogue, which brings together ten states of western Mediterranean, in Morocco’s Tangier.

The 5+5 Dialogue embraces five countries of southern Europe, namely Italy, Spain, Malta, Portugal and France, and five Maghreb countries, or Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia.

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Iran does not deploy troops to Syria — Foreign Minister

Maghreb Arab Press quoted him as saying that as long as Assad occupied his office, no unity in Syria was possible due "his crimes."

The French foreign minister stressed the necessity to form a government of national unity in Syria, which could include representatives of the current regime and members of the non-terrorist opposition.

In his words, such an alliance along with the Syrian army would be able to counter terrorist groups, including the Islamic State.

Touching on the Russian air operation in Syria, Fabius expressed the position of official Paris that along with military actions against the Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nusra apolitical transition process was to be launched in Syria.

Russia’s aerospace forces launched pinpoint strikes against the Islamic State targets in Syria on September 30. The Russian air group in Syria comprises more than 50 warplanes and helicopters. According to Russian defence ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov, air strikes are delivered at military hardware, communications centres, transport vehicles, munitions depots and other terrorist infrastructure facilities. The military operation is conducted at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

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