Assad to form new government including opposition

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) – Syria President Bashar al-Assad stated on Wednesday that it would not be impossible to form a new Syria government including opposition forces and parties while the Syrian opposition coalition rejected his remarks.

In an interview given to Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, Assad said that the transitional period should continue under the present constitution, and then move forward after being voted on and decided by the Syrian people.

“This transitional structure.. [consists] of the whole spectrum of the Syrian political forces: [the] opposition, independents, the present government, and others,” the current president said.

Regarding the opposition’s demand of ending the current government and forming a transitional authority, Assad said that there is nothing, either in the Syrian constitution nor within any other constitution in the world calling for a transitional body.

“This is illogical and unconstitutional. How shall it run the daily affairs of the population? Who oversees its performance? Now there is the People’s Assembly (Parliament) and a constitution which rules over the government and the state,” he said.

Regarding accepting opposition forces in the transitional period, Assad said, “It is logical to have independent forces, opposition forces, and forces loyal to the government represented.”

However, the Syrian opposition rejected any role Bashar al-Assad will have in Syria's transitional period or future.

In a statement published by the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Anas al-Abdah, its current leader said on Wednesday that Syrians will not elect those who tortured and murdered them or those whose hands "soaked with blood."

Additionally, Reuters reported that the United States also rejected Assad's comments. 

"I don't know whether he envisioned himself being a part of that national unity government. Obviously, that would be a nonstarter for us," White House spokesman Josh Earnest said.

The UN-brokered Geneva peace talks intended to bring about a peaceful end to the Syrian crisis formally began January 1 of this year but has been suspended many times. 

Negotiations are expected to resume in early April.

Reporting by Hisham Arafat

Editing by Benjamin Kweskin