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Conflict in Syria

Damascus insists all opposition groups must be involved in talks on Syria

The Syrian government is ready to hold talks whenever UN Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Syria appoints, which confirms its commitment to political solutions to the crisis, ambassador says

© Valeriy Sharifulin/TASS

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MOSCOW, May 27. /TASS/. Damascus hopes that all representatives of political and national opposition will be involved in the intra-Syrian talks, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad told TASS on Friday.

"The Syrian government is ready to hold talks whenever [United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for Syria Staffan] de Mistura appoints," he said. "And it confirms its commitment to political solutions to the crisis."

"Syria’s government hopes there will be a possibility to ensure participation of all representatives of political and national opposition who have not been involved in the talks so that these talks are really intra-Syrian, without external interference," the Syrian diplomat stressed.

At the same time, he noted that "certain international and regional players led by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar will continue attempts to break down talks and block participation of other representatives of the opposition, including the Kurds, in the negotiating process."

"These forces insist on participation of only one delegation - the Riyadh group as the only representative of the Syrian opposition," Haddad said. "It is in conflict with the Syrian people’s will. It might frustrate the talks, which is in the interests of neither the government nor the Syrian people."

The ambassador added, every possible effort is made to resume inter-Syrian talks as soon as possible.

"The party authorized with setting the date for resuming talks on Syria is the United Nations represented by de Mistura," Haddad said. "He has not yet set the date for continuing talks but noted that it will probably happen by the end of June," he added noting that de Mistura "confirms that he makes every possible effort to hold talks as soon as possible."

"Talks will be held in Geneva, and there is no information about them being held anywhere else," the ambassador said commenting on recent media reports that claimed that inter-Syrian talks may be resumed at other locations.

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