No Talks With Opposition Groups, Syria Leader Tells U.N. Envoy -- New York Times
BEIRUT, Lebanon — High-level diplomatic efforts to stop the fighting in Syria foundered Saturday as President Bashar al-Assad shut the door on any immediate negotiations with the opposition and escalated a new military assault on the city of Idlib.
Mr. Assad told the United Nations envoy Kofi Annan that such talks would be fruitless as long as “terrorist groups” were operating in the country.
“No political dialogue or political activity can succeed while there are armed terrorist groups operating and spreading chaos and instability,” the state news agency, SANA, quoted Mr. Assad as saying.
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Update: Setback to Kofi Annan's peace mission to Syria after meeting with President Assad -- The Telegraph
My Comment: As his Syrian military continues it's campaign against the opposition, and with his military and inner circle still loyal to him, Syrian President Assad has no motivation (nor interest) to conduct talks with the opposition. In fact .... even U.S. officials are now openly saying that there are skeptical that a military option is feasible in Syria, with some in the intelligence community openly and bluntly now saying that Assad is firmly in control.
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