The Western countries have signaled to the foreign-backed Syrian opposition that President Bashar al-Assad may stay in power following the international conference aimed at ending the Syrian conflict, a report said.

The Western countries have signaled to the foreign-backed Syrian opposition that President Bashar al-Assad may stay in power following the international conference aimed at ending the Syrian conflict, a report said.

Reuters news agency reported that a message was delivered to senior members of the Syrian National Coalition at a meeting of the so-called Friends of Syria alliance in London last week.

Sources told the agency that this message was prompted by rise of al Qaeda and other militant groups, and their takeover of a border crossing and arms depots near Turkey belonging to the ‘moderate’ Free Syrian Army.

"Our Western friends made it clear in London that Assad cannot be allowed to go now because they think chaos and an Islamist militant takeover would ensue,” Reuters quoted one senior member of the Coalition who is close to officials from Saudi Arabia as saying.

Noting the possibility of Assad holding a presidential election when his term formally ends next year, the Coalition member added: "Some do not even seem to mind if he runs again next year.”

The agency said that such shift in the western stance, particularly the United States and Britain, is causing divisions within international powers backing the armed groups and widening gap in approach with militants’ backers in the region. However this change could narrow Western differences with Russia.

“Saudi Arabia and Turkey, however, believe that tackling militants is less of a priority,” Reuters said, noting that Riyadh is furious at what it considers US “appeasement” of Assad and Iran. Riyadh sent only a junior diplomat to the "Friends of Syria" meeting in London, the agency added.

Extremists Undermining Peace Process: "Friends of Syria"
Meanwhile, a declaration by the 11 leading Western and Middle East countries opposed to the Syrian government blamed Damascus military operation for the rise of extremists.

However the Friends of Syria statement said that extremists are posing threat to the Syrian and international security, Reuters reported.

Islamists "undermine the Geneva ... process and threaten Syria's territorial integrity as well as international and regional security," the “Friends of Syria” said in a statement.