The head of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change and the body’s representative abroad, Haitham Manna has denied reports he visited Russia in the last eight months.
The academic and human rights activist also denied rumors he had met with the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and was told the U.S. didn't want him to participate in Geneva peace conference next January.
Manna said that Russian officials have asked him to visit Moscow four times, and his response has always been that he will not go alone, that he would only go with the Syrian opposition along with all opposition parties and groups, including the Syrian National Coalition, in order to present a united opposition voice against the Assad regime.
The controversial dissident acknowledged a discord with Robert Ford, the U.S. Ambassador to Syria and confirmed his efforts to remove Ford from the Syrian issue.
Manna also criticized the fabricated news and reports which he said aimed to harm him in person.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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