Syria FM Stresses Gov't Commitment to Inter-Syrian Dialogue without Preconditions
TEHRAN (Tasnim) - Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said on Tuesday that his government is committed to an inter-Syrian dialogue without preconditions.
Speaking during his meeting with the visiting UN peace envoy to Syria Staffan De Mistura, al-Muallem said the Syrians are the only ones authorized to determine their future without foreign pressures.
The remarks came just a couple of weeks after the first round of the Syrian talks in Geneva collapsed, with the government blaming the failure, in part, on the opposition's preconditions.
Another round of talks were planned on Feb. 25.
Meanwhile, al-Muallem pointed out to De Mistura the efforts excreted by the Syrian government to deliver aid to the people in need, stressing that this move emanates from the government' duties, noting that it's not related to the Geneva talks, Xinhua reported.
Al-Muallem also underscored the need for the Western countries to lift their unilateral sanctions on Syria.
De Mistura said after the meeting with al-Muallem that they discussed the humanitarian access to all besieged Syrian areas, not only those besieged by the government, but those under the siege of the opposition and Daesh (ISIL) as well.
