Russia To Host Talks With Syrian Opposition

July 02, 2012

Russia's Foreign Ministry says it will host talks with two Syrian opposition groups later this month to discuss a political transition plan backed by the United Nations, Russia, and the United States.

The plan, announced after international talks in Geneva on June 30, calls for the formation of a government that could include members of both the Assad regime and the opposition.

Opposition figures have denounced the plan as a mockery.

Russia's July 2 announcement came as around 250 members of the Syrian opposition were meeting in Cairo for a two-day unity conference sponsored by the Arab League.

The Free Syrian Army, whose fighters are battling the regime of President Bashar al-Assad, has denounced the meeting as a "conspiracy" that serves the policy goals of the regime's allies in Russia and Iran.

Based on reporting by AP and ITAR-TASS

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/russia-host-talks-with-syrian-opposition/24632427.html

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