The head of the so-called Syrian National Council said the foreign-backed opposition group was ready to go to peace conference aimed at ending the current conflict in Syria.
The head of the so-called Syrian National Council said the foreign-backed opposition group was ready to go to peace conference aimed at ending the current conflict in Syria.
“Our stand is clear regarding Gen
eva. We have presented in our last national coalition meeting a clear complete vision towards going to Geneva 2 and it was approved with the consensus of the coalition and now we are ready and in good spirits to go to Geneva 2,” Ahmad Jarba, the president of the SNC, said on Wednesday.
The Geneva II conference was proposed by Russia and the United States on May 7. It is seen as a follow-up to a first meeting also held in the Swiss city in June 2012.
On November 25, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon set January 22, 2014 as the date for the long-delayed second meeting.
Jarba said the foreign-backed opposition’s stance on the conference is that it should lead to a “transitional government” in Syria.
There have been remarks by western and Syrian opposition officials that President Bashar al-Assad has no role in Syria’s future.
However Damascus firmly rejected such remarks, saying an official delegation will attend Geneva 2 under the orders of Assad.
A source in the Syrian foreign ministry said stressed that “era of colonialism has gone forever,” noting that the Syrian delegation will be going to Geneva "not to hand over authority to anybody, but to take part in making Syria's future along with those who are keen on the Syrian people's interest and supportive of the political solution."
“Otherwise it will be useless for them to attend Geneva II,” the source added.
