MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-RUSSIA-LAVROV The leader of the western-backed Syrian opposition body meets Russian FM

Record ID: 144159

  • Title: MIDEAST-CRISIS/SYRIA-RUSSIA-LAVROV The leader of the western-backed Syrian opposition body meets Russian FM
  • Date: 13th August 2015
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HEADQUARTERS RUSSIAN COAT OF ARMS ON BUILDING CAR DRIVING TOWARDS FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING ENTRANCE, LEADER OF THE WESTERN-BACKED SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION OPPOSITION GROUP, KHALED KHOJA, GETTING OUT OF CAR, ENTERING BUILDING WITH OTHER MEMBERS OF DELEGATION WINDOWS OF FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV SHAKING HANDS WITH MEMBERS OF SYRIAN DELEGATION TALKS IN PROGRESS LAVROV ADDRESSING SYRIAN DELEGATION KHOJA ADDRESSING RUSSIAN DELEGATION TALKS IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SERGEI LAVROV, SAYING: "There is interest in putting a barrier in the way of terrorism, all parties are interested in the soonest political settlement of the crisis in Syria on the basis of the Geneva communique and the most important thing now is to transform these interests into coordinated practical steps." TALKS IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEADER OF THE WESTERN-BACKED SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION OPPOSITION GROUP, KHALED KHOJA, SAYING: "As for the current situation in Syria and I mean the chaos reigning in the country - we all know that the Syrian regime is the first one to blame for the situation we see ourselves in." RUSSIAN DELEGATION LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) LEADER OF THE WESTERN-BACKED SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION OPPOSITION GROUP, KHALED KHOJA, SAYING: "And we have agreed that the transition period should be organised in accordance with all principles of the Geneva agreement, and should be based on the agreement of all parties where it concerns the formation of the transitional ruling body which should be given absolute executive powers." TALKS IN PROGRESS
  • Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA1FSY341OL0BKNSDY1NH2ESWZA
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The leader of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition opposition group Khaled Khoja discussed ways of resolving the Syrian crisis with the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Thursday (August 13).
    "There is interest in putting a barrier in the way of terrorism, all parties are interested in the soonest political settlement of the crisis in Syria on the basis of the Geneva communique and the most important thing now is to transform these interests into coordinated practical steps," said Sergei Lavrov addressing the Syrian delegation during talks held at the Russian foreign ministry headquarters in Moscow.
    Russia is pushing for a coalition to fight Islamic State insurgents -- who have seized swathes of northern and eastern Syria -- that would involve Assad, a long-time ally of Moscow.
    An uprising against four decades of Assad family rule broke out in 2011 and turned into a full-blown civil war in which Islamist militants have become the strongest element fighting Damascus.
    "As for the current situation in Syria and I mean the chaos reigning in the country - we all know that the Syrian regime is the first one to blame for the situation we see ourselves in," said Khaled Khoja, leader of the western-backed Syrian National Coalition opposition group at the talks in Moscow.
    Despite having only tenuous links with fighters on the ground and seen as out of touch with the general population, the National Coalition remains one of the main parties in international discussions to find solutions to the almost four-year-old civil war.
    "And we have agreed that the transition period should be organised in accordance with all principles of the Geneva agreement, and should be based on the agreement of all parties where it concerns the formation of the transitional ruling body which should be given absolute executive powers," Khoja said.
    Khoja, a 49-year-old Damascus-born doctor and businessman, took over as president of the coalition in January 2015. He did not attend two rounds of the Syrian peace talks in Moscow earlier.
    Moscow hopes to host another round of talks between Damascus and various Syrian opposition groups. Two earlier rounds of such consultations failed to yield any breakthrough.
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