News Manager
Milforums News Bot
By Dominic Evans BEIRUT (Reuters) - Western countries which demand that President Bashar al-Assad step down should either stop dreaming or forget attending peace talks in January, Syria said on Wednesday. Responding to an announcement that the long-delayed "Geneva 2" conference aimed at resolving Syria's civil war will be held on January 22, it said Assad's government would take part in the meeting but reiterated that it had no plans to surrender power. The head of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army rebel brigades has rejected the Geneva talks and says there will be no ceasefire during the meeting. The National Coalition opposition group, which also has Western support but minimal influence over fighters on the ground, says it will decide next month whether to go to Geneva.More...