There should be no preconditions at Geneva talks - Syrian ambassador to Russia
KAZAN Dec 1 (Interfax) - Damascus believes there should be preconditions at the Syria settlement talks in Geneva, Syrian Ambassador to Russia Riyad Haddad said on Friday.
The Geneva negotiations have been underway for several years, and they are determining the general course of the process of Syrian political settlement, Haddad told reporters in Kazan.
The Syrian government is coordinating its efforts with its Russian friends and allies and says that it is ready to hold any political negotiations as long as there are no preconditions, Haddad said.
There should be no preconditions in any dialogue, whether in Geneva or elsewhere, he said.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said from the beginning that a political settlement is the only solution for the Syria conflict, Haddad said.
The Syria national dialogue congress in Sochi will be a pivotal point in Syria's history and a success on the political track, Haddad said.
A date for this congress has not yet been set because a number of very important events need to be held first, he said.
The government delegation to the Syria national dialogue congress in Sochi will comprise a broad range of representatives of civil organizations and parties, Haddad said.
There will be many members of civil organizations, party representatives, and journalists there, he said.
Damascus wants to gather many people who actually represent Syrian society in Sochi, Haddad said.
He disagreed with the opinion that opposition members who gathered in Riyadh or Cairo were representatives of the Syrian people.
True representatives of the Syrian people will gather in Sochi, Haddad said.