Assad says Syria ready for direct talks with all opposition representatives - Russian lawmaker

DAMASCUS, February 8. /TASS/. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has stated that Damascus is ready for direct talks with representatives of all the opposition groups, including armed ones, member of the Russian State Duma (lower house of parliament) Committee for Defense Dmitry Sablin told reporters on Wednesday following a meeting with Assad. "He (Assad) said that Syria was ready for direct talks with all the opposition representatives, including the armed opposition," said Sablin, coordinator of the State Duma group for contacts with the Syrian parliament. Another member of the Russian parliamentary delegation Sergei Gavrilov said in turn that Assad was hoping that after "the second round of the Astana talks, direct negotiations between the Syrian sides will begin." Read more