Moscow, SANA-Russian President’s Special Representative for the Middle East and African Countries, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov reiterated his country’s call for the Syrian opposition to form a unified delegation for Geneva talks.
He described this step as the best option which Moscow counts on in the direct talks between the delegation of the Syrian Arab Republic and opposition in the new round next April.
In statements to reporter in Moscow on Friday, Bogdanov said that the next round of Syrian-Syrian dialogue will begin on April 11th, adding that Moscow hopes that the parties concerned will arrive to this round with specific answers to the UN document.
He added that Russia always counts on the direct talks which, if materialized, would have been the optimal probability that there will be one broadly-represented opposition to the fullest extent.
He pointed out that the representatives of “Riyadh opposition” can come to Moscow, noting that he would visit Qatar, Kuwait, and Cairo early next month where he can meet them.
Bogdanov said Moscow hopes that the representatives of the participant parties will use the break time to study the document prepared by the UN Special Envoy to Syria and to come to the next round with a specific responses to it.
On a relevant note, Bogdanov met with Syria’s Ambassador in Moscow Riad Haddad and discussed with him a number of pressing issues related to the political settlement in Syria in light of the UN-sponsored intra-Syrian dialogue round which was concluded in Geneva on Thursday.
A statement by the Russian Foreign Ministry said the two sides also discussed the implementation of the Russian-US agreements on the cessation of hostilities in Syria.
Manar al-Frieh/Manal / Hazem Sabbagh