Syrian opposition bloc hopes to continue consultations with Russia on resolving crisis

MOSCOW, August 14. /TASS/. The National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces expects to continue consultations with Russia’s leaders on the ways of resolving the Syrian crisis, President of the National Coalition Khaled Khoja told a news conference on Friday. "Yesterday we held a constructive meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and discussed the current state of affairs in Syria and in the region," he said. "We exchanged views on the issues that were on the agenda, discussed scenarios of resolving the Syrian crisis." We saw an understanding on the part of the Russian side of our vision of ways of the political settlement," Khoja said. "We agreed to continue consultations and meetings aimed at finding a solution. The meetings with representatives of the Russian leadership will continue in the future as well," the leader of the National Coalition said. He again voiced the opinion that "the future authorities of Syria could not include [President] Bashar al-Assad. "He has no place in Syria’s future," Khoja said. "As for the regime’s participation in the settlement, considering that the regime voluntarily gave the Islamic State group control over the territory, it cannot be a partner in the fight against terrorism," Khoja added. Read more