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Conflict in Syria

Russia should be assigned central role in Syria’s political process — Syrian opposition

MOSCOW, January 22. /TASS/. Russia should be given a special role in Syria’s political process, head of the Syrian opposition’s united delegation Nasr al-Hariri said at a meeting with Chairman of Russia’s Federation Council (upper house) Foreign Affairs Committee Konstantin Kosachev on Monday.

"We need now to seek practical, useful, general ideas to move towards a political settlement," he said. "That was why we arrived here hoping that Russia would give given a central in this [political] process, along with your military operations, which, as you said, are impartial, but most of the Syrian people have a different point of view."

"We, Syrians, fully believe a political solution is necessary. However, it is necessary to clearly understand why the political process in Syria has stalled," the chief negotiator noted. "Only after we make an accurate diagnosis will we be able to prevent similar mistakes so that the political process in Astana, Sochi or elsewhere does not come to a standstill."

According to al-Hariri, the political process lacks the second party, that is, the Syrian government, which "does not express any serious attitude towards the beginning of negotiations to implement UN Resolution 2254".

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