Syrian Rebels Spurn Russian Call for Peace Talks

Insist Assad's Ouster a Precondition to Any Negotiations

Syrian rebel leader Mouaz al-Khatib has publicly condemned the Russian Foreign Ministry for offering to organize peace talks aimed at ending the civil war, insisting that no talks were possible until Russia forcibly removed Bashar Assad from power.

Khatib went on to demand that Russia offer a public apology to “the people of Syria” for opposing UN Security Council actions aimed at installing the rebels as the new government.

Russian officials have opposed calls for the international community to impose regime change on Syria, insisting that the solution should come from negotiations among Syrian factions.

To that end Russian officials are continuing to endorse the Geneva plan for a transition, which was agreed to in late June. Rebels have repeatedly condemned the plan, because it does not guarantee them full control over the nation.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.