Saudi FM: Syria’s Assad must leave or be forced out

The meeting in Saudi Arabia appears to be very constructive at this point says John Kerry.

The various factions that make up much of the opposition in Syria’s ongoing conflict continued talks in the Saudi capital on Thursday in an effort to forge a united front in preparation for the eventual end of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.

A source in the National Coalition, the main opposition group which is based in Istanbul, said Thursday that the delegates had agreed on a set of basic principles, including ensuring Syria is a “pluralist and civil state” and guaranteeing the country’s territorial integrity.

Delegates also agreed on the civilian and democratic nature of a future Syrian state, which would retain the current state’s apparatus but completely restructure the army and security force.

Akbik said that bringing the armed rebels together with the political opposition in a single group was a necessary step for negotiations with the government. The Riyadh talks aim to form a unified bloc for the potential talks and opposition sources said some progress had been made on the first day. It is part of Jaysh al-Fatah, an alliance that includes the al-Qaeda-affiliated al-Nusra Front.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister had earlier said the talks put Syria’s opposition in a “stronger position” ahead of peace talks scheduled to take place in NY later this month.

Russian Federation launched air strikes in Syria 10 weeks ago, helping the Syrian army – backed by Iranian troops, Hezbollah fighters and allied militia – to contain rebel advances.

“Bashar Al-Assad has two choices: leave through negotiations, which would be fastest and easiest, or he will be removed by force, because the Syrian people refuse for this man to be allowed to stay in power”, Jubeir said.

Global efforts to resolve the conflict which has killed 250,000 people and displaced 12 million have been lent added urgency by a wave of deadly attacks across the world claimed by the Iraq- and Syria-based Islamic State and by an escalating refugee flow which has caused a crisis in Europe.

The Gulf states said that they back the Vienna agreement, which was made last month and set a January 1 target for peace talks and would see a transitional government set up in six months and elections in 18 months.

The ultraconservative group objected to the presence of some of the other participants at the meeting, claiming they are “closer to the (Syrian) regime than they are to the revolution”, and the lack of proportional representation of some of the other Islamist groups fighting on the ground in Syria.

Iran has openly criticised the decision by Saudi Arabia to hold the talks, saying they were created to harm the Vienna process.