Russia Reaches out to Syrian Coalition

(Moscow) – Russia’s foreign minister says Moscow has proposed talks with the main Syrian opposition coalition. Sergey Lavrov told a news conference that Russia has contacted the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces through the Russian Embassy in Egypt and “we expressed readiness to conduct a meeting” with coalition leader Mouaz al-Khatib.
The opposition coalition was formed in November and is recognized by Western countries as legitimate representatives of the Syrian people. Russia has criticized such recognition as running counter to agreements to seek political transition in Syria.