Russia: Syria talks must not imply ‘capitulation’ of regime

An upcoming peace conference in Geneva on the conflict in Syria should not imply any capitulation on the part of the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted as saying Tuesday.

“We are categorically against... assertions that the conference should be some kind of public act of capitulation by the government delegation followed by a handing over of power to the opposition,” Lavrov told Kuwaiti news agency KUNA in an interview whose text was published by the Russian foreign ministry.

Lavrove also said the Syrian opposition must not set preconditions for attending a peace conference proposed by Moscow and Washington

Russian President Vladimir Putin faces pressure at a G8 summit to tone down Russia’s support for Assad.

But Lavrov’s remarks signaled no change in Moscow’s stance that Assad’s exit must not be a precondition for talks on ending Syria’s civil war.

(With Reuters and AFP)