Assad to Annan: Dialogue Doomed to Fail If Terrorists Remained - Qatar: Time for Foreign Troops to Enter Syria, Russia Opposes

Assad to Annan: Dialogue Doomed to Fail If Terrorists Remained

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met United Nations envoy Kofi Annan and accompanying delegation on Saturday insuring that he would back any "honest" peace bid. However, Assad warned that any dialogue would fail if "terrorist groups" remained, according to the official news agency SANA. State television said there was a "positive atmosphere" to the Damascus meeting between Assad and the former UN chief. Annan, who is on his first visit since being named United Nations-Arab League envoy on the conflict, made no public comment about the progress of his mission. "Syria is ready to bring success to any honest bid to find a solution," SANA quoted Assad as telling Annan. But "no dialogue or political process can succeed as long as there are terrorist groups that are working to sow chaos and destabilize the country by attacking civilians and soldiers," he added. "The success of any effort firstly requires an examination of what is happening on the ground instead of presumptions spread by certain states of the region and others to distort the reality ... of the situation in Syria," said Assad.

Qatari Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani said during an Arab League meeting Saturday that time has come for sending Arab and international troops to Syria.

Al-Thani considered that keeping silent on the crisis in Syria was no longer possible, demanding the implementation of the AL decisions, and advising the Syrian opposition to overstep its differences.

Lavrov in AL’s Meeting:

Syrian Opposition Groups Must Withdraw,

Int’l Community Shouldn’t Blame One Side

The Qatari FM called for the recognition of the National Council, adding that “we rely on Russia in that, as we consider it a friend to the Arab world and a member of the UN Security Council, so it has a significant role in the peace process.”

Al-Thani reiterated that “there are no armed groups in Syria”, indicating that “we are not against Syria. Syria is an important country in the Arab world.”

In contrast Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who attended the AL meeting, stressed that Russia is ready to cooperate with everyone who calls for reforms and construction and not for destruction.

He reassured Russia’s stance which opposes any intervention in other countries’ internal affairs, warning all western parts of interfering in the region’s issues.
Lavrov also emphasized the importance of agreeing on a certain method for solving the crisis in Syria without funding and arming the opposition, and said: “We are not protecting a regime. We are protecting the international law.”

“The important thing in Syria now is to end the violence,” he added.

In parallel, Lavrov said that “it is important to demand the armed groups to withdraw from the cities. We ask the government forces to do the same thing.”

Tackling the “Friends of Syria” conference, the Russian foreign minister pointed out that the Syrian government was not invited to participate in it, “and this is not a way to hold dialogue” he said.
The AL meeting took place as Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad was holding talks with UN Secretary General Envoy to Syria Kofi Annan.

Syrian official news agency SANA reported that “a positive atmosphere prevailed the meeting”.

Source: Agencies	10-03-2012 - 14:21 Last updated 10-03-2012 - 14:23

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