29 Jan 2016 20:06

France hopes Geneva III conference to start working Monday - ambassador

MOSCOW. Jan 29 (Interfax) - France hopes that the Geneva III conference on settling the crisis in Syria will start its work on Monday, French Ambassador to Russia Jean-Maurice Ripert said at a reception at the embassy on Friday.

"We hope the Geneva III conference will begin working on Monday," Ripert said.

Syria's future "will not be determined through [President Bashar] al-Assad's figure," Ripert said.

"It's necessary to hold negotiations with him, and the opposition should do it," he said.

Taking into consideration the number of fatalities and the amount of destruction in Syria, al-Assad himself "should hold negotiations with the opposition," he said.