Syrian Coalition Meets Russia’s Bogdanov, Says Its “Undecided” About Moscow Visit

The Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition Badraldin Jamous met Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Istanbul, who repeated that his Government is waiting for the Syrian Coalition to accept an invitation to visit Moscow, according to a statement by the Coalition on Friday.

Jamous said that the Coalition “did not go into details during the meeting (with Bogdanov). He added that “the Russian envoy is waiting the Coalition’s decision to agree to go to Moscow.” The Secretary General of the Syrian Coalition said earlier that “the negotiating team for Geneva II will be determined by the National Coalition exclusively,” and that “we will not go to Geneva for the sake of going, but in order to achieve the objectives of Geneva I represented in the conditions set by the Coalition.”

Bogdanov said that “the Syrian Coalition was positive for Geneva II”, the Coalition statement said.

The Coalition has said it will participate in the Geneva II peace talks, provided that several preconditions are met. The Coalition is demanding that President Assad step down and that a transitional government is formed, with full powers, humanitarian corridors are opened, all detainees are released and a specific timetable for negotiations is set.

The Coalition said that the Russian Foreign Ministry’s claims that the Opposition is obstructing a political solution, and aborting preparations for Geneva II, were “nothing more than failed attempts aimed at strengthening the position of the Assad regime.”

Responding to comments by Russia’s Foreign Minister that insurgents had shelled various neighborhoods of Damascus, especially Christian areas, the Coalition said that “acts and violations of the principles of the revolution such as the shelling of residential neighborhoods in Damascus are committed only by al-Assad’s militia… Assad’s regime continues to fire mortar rounds on Damascus’ densely populated neighborhoods daily, targeting schools, markets and places of worship, then blames it on the revolutionaries and employs propaganda in order to earn a few more days of ruling the country.”

Source: EAWorldNews