Putin, Saudi King seek solution to Syria crisis

It was dismissed as a “farce” by the opposition and its supporters, with voting held only in government-controlled areas and millions of the displaced and refugees unable to vote. Assad’s term expires in 2021.

A member of the Russian delegation said Sunday that Assad had expressed a willingness to hold new parliamentary and presidential elections, and would run again as president. Those offensives are backed by Lebanese Hezbollah and Iranian fighters and Russian air strikes.

The Syrian state news agency SANA made no mention of elections in its account of Assad’s meeting on Sunday with a visiting Russian delegation.

Cairo, however, an ally of Riyadh’s, has defended the recent Russian military intervention, saying the air campaign was aimed at countering “terrorism” in the war-ravaged country.

Despite the FSA’s insistence that Mr Assad leave power, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that it was ready to support the rebel alliance in its fight against IS and to work with the US-led coalition battling the jihadist group. They assured Western observers that they would only target the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL), but multiple reports have uncovered evidence that Russian warplanes are bombing anyone they consider an enemy of Assad. Iran has backed President Bashar Assad’s government throughout the conflict, fighting alongside the Syrian military, and is seen by Western-backed rebels and USA partners in the region as a major source of the bloodshed. Akbik, the opposition politician, confirmed he had learned of such communications. Saleh said he rejected the offer. “They do have a relationship with the Assad regime”, Kirby said.

Speaking to The Independent, Dr Tarakji said that Syria’s already crippled medical infrastructure, and the lack of access available to aid agencies, meant the disease could spread quickly, both inside the country and across borders.

The talks produced little progress amid long-standing disagreements over the future of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Saoud said he had only heard of such Russian overtures through the media. He added that Russian Federation was still striking FSA positions. By betting, rightly, that the United States and its allies would not stop him, Putin can prove he’s a global player, projecting force well beyond his borders while, at the same time, scorings points against what he calls a weak and indecisive America.

But Moscow has doubled up his support for the Syrian dictator over the past month by launching airstrikes against rebel groups seeking his overthrow.

In his view, the USA botched it by trying to dictate to the world.

Russian Federation says the main aim of its military efforts, namely its air support for Assad’s forces, is to combat terrorism.

Secretary of State John Kerry waves as he arrives on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, October 27, 2015, to brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in a closed session, on the Administrations response to the Syrian conflict.