Egypt, Colombia discuss medical support for Palestinians injured in Gaza    Egypt greenlights new public free zones to drive export growth    PM Madbouly reviews progress of 1.5 Million Feddan Project    PM Madbouly reviews progress on electricity supply for New Delta agricultural development projects    Australia to recognise Palestinian state in September, New Zealand to decide    Trump orders homeless out of DC, deploys federal agents and prepares National Guard    Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire hold political talks, sign visa deal in Cairo    Egypt's TMG H1 profit jumps as sales hit record EGP 211bn    Egyptian pound stable vs. USD at Monday's close    Egypt, Germany FMs discuss Gaza escalation, humanitarian crisis    Egypt, Huawei explore healthcare digital transformation cooperation    Global matcha market to surpass $7bn by 2030: Nutrition expert    Egypt, Huawei discuss expanding AI, digital healthcare collaboration    Egypt's Sisi, Sudan's Idris discuss strategic ties, stability    Egypt's govt. issues licensing controls for used cooking oil activities    Egypt to inaugurate Grand Egyptian Museum on 1 November    Oil rises on Wednesday    Egypt, Uganda strengthen water cooperation, address Nile governance    Egypt's Sisi: Egypt is gateway for aid to Gaza, not displacement    Egypt, Malawi explore pharmaceutical cooperation, export opportunities    Egypt's Foreign Minister discusses Nile water security with Ugandan president    Egyptians vote in two-day Senate election with key list unopposed    Korean Cultural Centre in Cairo launches folk painting workshop    Egyptian Journalist Mohamed Abdel Galil Joins Golden Globe Voting Committee    Egypt keeps Gaza aid flowing, total tops 533,000 tons: minister    Foreign, housing ministers discuss Egypt's role in African development push    Greco-Roman rock-cut tombs unearthed in Egypt's Aswan    Egypt reveals heritage e-training portal    Sisi launches new support initiative for families of war, terrorism victims    Egypt expands e-ticketing to 110 heritage sites, adds self-service kiosks at Saqqara    Palm Hills Squash Open debuts with 48 international stars, $250,000 prize pool    On Sport to broadcast Pan Arab Golf Championship for Juniors and Ladies in Egypt    Golf Festival in Cairo to mark Arab Golf Federation's 50th anniversary    Germany among EU's priciest labour markets – official data    Paris Olympic gold '24 medals hit record value    A minute of silence for Egyptian sports    Russia says it's in sync with US, China, Pakistan on Taliban    It's a bit frustrating to draw at home: Real Madrid keeper after Villarreal game    Shoukry reviews with Guterres Egypt's efforts to achieve SDGs, promote human rights    Sudan says countries must cooperate on vaccines    Johnson & Johnson: Second shot boosts antibodies and protection against COVID-19    Egypt to tax bloggers, YouTubers    Egypt's FM asserts importance of stability in Libya, holding elections as scheduled    We mustn't lose touch: Muller after Bayern win in Bundesliga    Egypt records 36 new deaths from Covid-19, highest since mid June    Egypt sells $3 bln US-dollar dominated eurobonds    Gamal Hanafy's ceramic exhibition at Gezira Arts Centre is a must go    Italian Institute Director Davide Scalmani presents activities of the Cairo Institute for ITALIANA.IT platform    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Syria Says Ready For Talks With Armed Rebels
Published in Amwal Al Ghad on 26 - 02 - 2013

The Syrian regime is ready for talks with armed rebels and anyone who favours dialogue, President Bashar al-Assad's foreign minister said in Moscow on Monday, in the first such offer by a top Syrian official.
Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem was in Moscow for talks with Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, whose country is one of the few big powers to still maintain ties with Assad's regime.
Russia has renewed calls for rebels and regime to engage in direct negotiations to end the two-year conflict that has killed tens of thousands of people, warning that pressing for a military victory risked destroying Syria.
"We are ready for dialogue with all who want dialogue, including those who are carrying arms," Muallem said at the talks with Lavrov.
Armed rebels have battled the Assad regime since the start of the opposition's uprising against his rule in March 2011 and now control swathes of Syrian territory.
"We still believe in a peaceful solution to the Syrian problem," said Muallem, pointing to the creation of a government coalition that would negotiate with both the "external and internal opposition."
The state risks collapsing
"There is no acceptable alternative to a political solution achieved through agreeing positions of the government and the opposition," said Lavrov.
Lavrov added that the situation in Syria was "at the crossroads", with different factions pressing for conflict and talks. But he expressed optimism that a negotiated solution could be found.
"There are those who have embarked on a course of further bloodshed that risks the collapse of the state and society," he said.
"But there are also sensible forces who are increasingly aware of the necessity to begin the talks as soon as possible to reach a political settlement.
"The number of supporters of such a realistic line is growing," said Lavrov.
He warned that there was no point for the sides trying to fight towards a "victorious end" and warned Assad's regime not to give in to what Lavrov termed "provocations".
Lavrov had said last week there were positive signs from both sides of a new willingness to talk but called on Assad's regime to turn oft-stated words about its readiness for dialogue into deeds.
Russia has also been working on agreeing a trip to Moscow, possibly in early March, by the head of the Syrian opposition National Coalition Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib.
The rebels had pulled out of talks with foreign powers in protest at the international community's inability to halt the bloodshed.
Khatib told reporters in Cairo on Monday that his visit to Russia would be "postponed until we see how things progress".
After Muallem's statement on Monday, the Free Syrian Army's chief of staff Selim Idriss said that before any dialogue could begin, Assad's regime must fall, among other pre-conditions.
"I am not going to sit down with him or with any other member of his clique before all the killing stops, or before the army withdraws from the cities," he told pan-Arab broadcaster Al-Arabiya.
Russia can play a role
The Moscow talks came a day before Russia's top diplomat meets new US Secretary of State John Kerry in Berlin for the first time, with the Syria crisis topping the agenda.
Kerry urged the Khatib-led Syrian opposition to withdraw its threat to pull out of an international meeting he will attend in Rome on Thursday.
"I would urge the Syrian opposition to join us as a matter of practicality and of informing us," Kerry told a news conference in London.
"I want our friends in the Syrian opposition council to know that we are not coming to Rome simply to talk. We are coming to Rome to make a decision on next steps," he said.
Khatib said on Saturday it was pulling out of the 11-nation meeting of the Friends of Syria to protest at the "shameful" inaction of the international community over civilian killings.
But Khatib said Monday that the Syrian opposition would consider participating in the meeting after receiving "specific" promises of support from key nations.
"The leaders of the (Syrian National) Coalition will meet today to discuss promises made by several major countries, which have asked us to cancel the boycott and give clear and specific support for the Syrian people," he said.
Throughout the conflict, opposition by Russia and its diplomatic ally China has prevented attempts by the West to pass UN Security Council resolutions sanctioning Assad's regime.
The UN human rights chief on Monday criticised the Security Council's failure to take action.
"The Security Council has so far failed with regard to Syria," Navi Pillay told ministers at the start of a regular UN Human Rights Council session in Geneva.
The diplomatic activity came as there appeared to be no let-up in the fighting which according to the United Nations has claimed 70,000 lives since the conflict began in March 2011.
Ahram


Clic here to read the story from its source.