The former President of the Syrian National Coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib has denied Walid Jumblatt had a role with an opposition delegation which visited Moscow and met with officials there.
Khatib said Jumblatt did not attend any of the meetings between the Russians and the opposition's delegation.
He clarified detials of the visit, saying the invitation came from the Russian Foreign Ministry, and that the Syrian opposition figures met with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and other Russian leaders.
Khatib pointed out that the meetings were positive, and focused on the prospects for a political solution and the need to work to find a political transition mechanism. Participants in the meeting emphasized the priority of saving the Syrian people and land, and stopping the killing and bloodshed.
Khatib stressed that the current opposition body cannot unite the Syrians to build their country. With respect to Bashar al-Assad, Khatib said that "during the talks, it was stressed that Syria cannot be made well in his presence, that he is primarily responsible for this situation of bloodshed and destruction, and therefore he cannot play any role in the future of Syria".
Khatib denied the attendance of any Iranian delegation in the meetings, and said that the meetings were limited to Syrian opposition figures and Russian leaders.
"The meetings that took place in Moscow are preliminary meetings and a prelude to subsequent meetings," Khatib said, without giving any further details.
The leader of the Lebanese Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Jumblatt, who is visiting Moscow concurrently with the Syrian opposition delegation – has said that "the political solution is inevitable in Syria", pointing to the need for a solution that includes all the Syrian people.
"Let us speak frankly, no one can eliminate 80% of the Syrian people, and there is no place for the head of the regime in Syria after the transitional period," Jumblatt said.
Jumblatt had spent several days in Cairo before traveling to Moscow.
Many observers in the region believe that Egypt has become "the balancing force in the region" after the return of its relations with Iran, and by virtue of its excellent relations with Saudi Arabia, in addition to its relationship with the regime in the Damascus.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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