Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 9
By Umid Niayesh - Trend:
Those who think the Syrian government will transfer power to the opposition at the Geneva 2 peace conference are delusional, Syrian deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal Miqdad said, Fars news agency reported on Jan. 9.
Miqdad made the remarks in a meeting with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs, Hossein Amir Abdollahian in Tehran.
The Geneva 2 peace conference is a proposed UN backed international conference to take place in Geneva with the aim of ending the Syrian civil war and is scheduled to be held on Jan. 22.
Miqdad went on to note that the Syrian government is ready to participate in Geneva 2, adding that decisions about the political future of Syria should be made by Syrians.
He also praised of Iran's diplomatic and economic support for the Syria.
"Since the beginning of the crisis, Iran has stood by the Syrian people and has opposed bloodshed in Syria," he said, adding that Iran plays an important role in efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria.
Nothing can tarnish the "strong ties" between Iran and Syria, Miqdad underlined.
Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, said that Iran supports a political solution to the ongoing crisis agreed through Syrian-Syrian dialog, reaffirming Iran's opposition to any foreign interference in the country.
Iranian deputy foreign minister also stressed that Tehran will not accept any preconditions for participation in the Geneva 2 peace talks.
Washington has opposed Iran's attendance at Geneva 2 because it has not signed up to a core element of the so-called 'Geneva 1' framework. This says a future Syrian government must be formed by 'mutual consent' of the authorities and the opposition, a stance the United States says means Syrian President Bashar al-Assad cannot stay in power.
Edited by C.N.