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Egypt FM says Syria opposition agrees to go to Moscow

Arab World Materials 29 December 2014 02:41 (UTC +04:00)
Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Sunday that Syria's opposition had approved a Russian proposal for holding a meeting in Moscow.
Egypt FM says Syria opposition agrees to go to Moscow

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Sunday that Syria's opposition had approved a Russian proposal for holding a meeting in Moscow, Anadolu agency reported.

"The opposition had not objected to going to Russia [for the meeting]," Shoukry said.

He said he had not heard that the opposition had turned down the Russian suggestion, noting that Russia had only wanted to open the door for dialogue between the Syrian opposition and regime.

Shoukry described Russia as an "important state" that has direct contact with the situation in Syria.

"We should leave no stone unturned, especially if this will be in the best interests of the Syrian people," Shoukry said.

He called on the Syrian opposition to put the needs of the Syrian people into consideration.

A member of the Syrian opposition coalition said earlier that the opposition had not preferred to start new negotiations with the Syrian regime.

Badr Gamos said the opposition had preferred to resume the Geneva 1 talks, which it started months ago with the Syrian regime.

Syria has been ravaged by civil war since 2011 for almost four years now.

Around 191,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far, while almost half of the Syrian population displaced both inside and outside Syria, according to the United Nations.

Unfulfilled promises

Commenting on a Gaza donors conference held in Cairo months ago, Shoukry said donors who pledged billions of dollars for the embattled Palestinian territory had not sent the money because they had no trust in the absence of a lasting solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the suspension of direct Palestinian-Israeli peace negotiations.

"The international community links its financial contribution to the reconstruction of Gaza to the return of the Palestinian authority to its position in it," Shoukry said.

He added that this international community had confidence in the Palestinian Authority and a desire to contribute to the reconstruction of Gaza through the authority.

Gaza has been mercilessly battered by a 51-day Israeli offensive in July and August, one that had totally or partially destroyed thousands of Palestinian homes and public facilities.

Around 2,160 Palestinians were killed by Israeli attacks and more 11,000 others injured.

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