Syrian Government Open to Negotiations with ‘Real Opposition’

Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad says his government is open to negotiations with “real opposition” groups, referring to unarmed opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.

“The Syrian government is ready to be a major party in negotiations that will lead to a settlement that will meet and satisfy the needs and the aspirations of the Syrian people,” Mekdad told CNN in an exclusive interview.

Mekdad accused Turkey and Saudi Arabia of supporting “terrorists” in Syria. He also dismissed the prospect of President Assad stepping down as part of a peace plan, referring to Assad as “the only guarantor” in Syria.

He stressed that the Syrian government will not negotiate with the Islamic State (ISIS) or Jabhat al-Nusra, the Syrian branch of al-Qaida.

Syrian Government Accused of Napalm Attack

President Bashar al-Assad’s forces used napalm during attacks on a town near Damascus, a Syrian defense organization claims.

They say government forces dropped four barrel bombs containing napalm in Daraya while targeting the local electricity company district, reports the Guardian. The bombing resulted in large fires.

“The wounded were treated under the light of the fires,” one civil defense worker said. “There were massive fires and the civil defense was completely paralyzed in dealing with them.”

In 2012, the Assad government was accused of a “napalm-like attack” on an Aleppo school. Also in 2013,it was claimed that the Syrian government used sarin gas to launch attacks in Ghouta.

During Russia Talks, Syrian Opposition Rejects Assad Participation in ISIS Battle

During talks in Moscow, one of the main Syrian opposition groups, the Syrian National Council (SNC), rejected the possibility of an anti-ISIS coalition that includes President Bashar al-Assad’s government.

The SNC’s Khaled Khoja held talks with Sergey Lavrov as part of a Russian diplomatic drive to have President Assad and his allies included in an anti-ISIS coalition. “Bashar al-Assad has no role in the future of Syria,” Khoja said, as reported by the Daily Star.

Saudi Arabian foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir, who met with Lavrov on Tuesday, also rejected Russian proposals to cooperate with Assad’s forces against ISIS. The diplomatic flurry comes at a time when Syrian opposition groups are making advances in Latakia, a coastal city and President Assad’s stronghold.

Recommended Reads:

• CNN: Inside Syria: Yarmouk Turned to Wasteland
• NBC: Inside Raqqa: New Video Shows Life in ISIS Stronghold in Syria
• Al Jazeera English: Is Syria’s President Losing His Grip on Power?
• The National: A 360-Degree View of War-Ravaged Aleppo