Gatilov won't meet National Coalition's Jamous on Friday - source
GENEVA. Feb 14 (Interfax) - Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov will not meet on Friday with Secretary General of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces Badr Jamous, who heads the opposition delegation to the Geneva negotiations instead of National Coalition President Ahmad Jarba, a source close to the negotiations said.
"No, there will be no such meeting," he replied to an Interfax question.
Jamous met with Russian experts engaged in the Geneva negotiations on Thursday, the source said.
It was reported earlier that Gatilov would meet with Jarba but Jarba never arrived in Geneva.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said he was surprised by the position of the National Coalition president.
"Our U.S. partners, the UN secretary general and Lakhdar Brahimi promised us they would assist in the broadening of the opposition delegation so that it also gives representation to the internal opposition, which is not currently represented [at the negotiations]," he told a press conference after negotiations with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
"National Coalition leader Mr. Jarba gave me the same promise. By the way, he does not attend the Geneva conference himself; he has appointed a negotiator for some reason," the Russian minister said.
"The Syrian foreign minister is visiting Geneva as the delegation head but he is not participating in the negotiations. He could have done that if Mr. Jarba had come to Geneva but, I repeat, he is not there," Lavrov said.