The international mediator and envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi held meetings on Thursday with a delegation from the National Coordination Commission (NCC) at the Sheraton Hotel in Damascus.
The meeting took just over 90 minutes and the two parties exchanged views on a political solution to the crisis and a possible date for the proposed international confernce at Geneva, as well as the transitional phase and the fate of Bashar Assad.
NCC chief Hassan Abdelazim told All4Syria that the delegation told Brahimi the NCC accepted attendance at the conference "on the basis of Geneva I, with its six terms which should be used as the foundation to launch political negotiations, including seeking to stop the violence, release the detainees and hostages, secure access and relief for those in need, and establish a transitional governing authority with full powers to prepare the country for the transition to a new democratic regime."
At the beginning of the meeting , Abdelazim "thanked the envoy for accepting this complex and difficult task" telling him "he accepted the job for the Syrian people and will make every effort to bring peace".
Abdelazim also revealed that the delegation handed Brahimi the names of delegation members to attend the conference, clarifying that he will head the delegation personally.
Members of the delegation include the coordinator of the NCC abroad, Haytham Manna and Abdul Aziz al-Khair who has been under arrest for over one year.
On the issue Assad stepping down, Abdelazim said that "the statement of Geneva I from June 2012 developed a road map to end the old regime, along with all its symbols and to build a new system depending on the will of the Syrian people,"
"The departure of Assad is part of the negotiations and not a condition to participate. Anyone who disables the statement of Geneva I and demands the departure of Assad as a negotiating condition, and continues the conflict and the fighting, has failed in their bets and their position," he said.
"The military solution has failed, and it led the country to nowhere, which has only increased the cost of the conflict in the country through destruction, killing, displacement, arrest and chaos," he added.
After the meeting, Brahimi met the head of the State Building Movement, Louay Hussein and the National Reconciliation Minister, Ali Haidar.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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