Damascus Says 'Only Syrians' Will Choose Leader

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Damascus said on Wednesday that no foreign party will be involved in deciding the country's leadership after Arab and Western governments said President Bashar Assad should play no future role.

"The Syrian people are the only ones who can choose their leader, and who can decide on Syria's present and future," the foreign ministry said.

While the ministry did not specifically address the conclusions of a meeting of supporters of Syria's opposition in London on Tuesday, it said "the Syrian people will not allow any foreign party to impose itself ... in choosing a government, or in determining its powers and tasks."

The ministry statement comes amid preparations for a peace conference dubbed Geneva 2, which was first proposed by the United States and Russia and would bring government and opposition representatives to the negotiating table.

"Syria reiterated it is ready to go to the Geneva 2 conference, and to try its best to ensure its success without any preconditions or any foreign intervention," the ministry said.

The opposition has insisted that any talks with regime representatives should lead to Assad's departure.

But the Syrian authorities have said there should be no preconditions for such talks and on Monday, Assad said he is willing to run for re-election when his term ends in 2014.

Assad had also said he would not negotiate with the exiled opposition, and that "the factors are not yet in place" for peace talks.

Comments 1
Default-user-icon Isobel (Guest) 25 October 2013, 13:20

Not just the 'warmonger USA', but UK too. Hague dictating that the SNC are the viable Government for Syria, not up to Hague or any other foreign politician. It's up to Syrians. The SNC do not have broad support and are very fragmented in different groups and the rebel force has a huge al Qaeda affiliated presence.

The proposed talks dubbed Geneva 2 are an excellent achievement and it has been Russia more than any other country that has tried for a peaceful resolution. Assad has said more than once he is prepared to talk, the rebels - and at the meeting on Tuesday it was reported certain opposition leaders - are trying to be obstructive to talks, they want the violence to continue.