MOSCOW, January 09. /ITAR-TASS/. Russia regrets that the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces continues to set forth preconditions for taking part in the Geneva II Peace Conference, the Foreign Ministry reported on Thursday.

The National Coalition gathered in Istanbul on January 6-7. Ahmad Al-Jarba was re-elected the Coalition’s head. “In the meantime, several dozens of the participants said they left the National Coalition due to the disagreements on the participation in the Geneva II Peace Conference and the approaches towards the Syrian settlement. The final decision on involving in the Geneva forum will be taken not earlier than January 17,” the ministry said.

 

Commenting on preparations for the Geneva conference, the ministry said, “There is no alternative to political and diplomatic means to settle the Syrian crisis. The launch of the Geneva conference in Montreux, Switzerland, on January 22 is designed to cease any violence and bloodshed in Syria.”

“The Geneva II Conference is being convened to implement the Geneva I communique. During the conference, Syrians themselves seek to come to agreement on principled issues of the country’s future,” the ministry said.