Moscow wants opposition to prepare for talks with Assad government

October 30, 2015 10:39 AM

Russia and Saudi Arabia had exchanged lists of Syrian opposition figures to be potentially included in the talks during a meeting in Vienna, and Russia wanted the Syrian Free Army and the Kurds to take part, he was quoted as saying.

Moscow wants Syrian opposition to prepare for talks with Assad government

The Kremlin wants the Syrian opposition to agree a common approach and make-up of a delegation for talks with the Syrian government, Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia's deputy foreign minister, was quoted as saying on Friday by the Interfax news agency.

Russia and Saudi Arabia had exchanged lists of Syrian opposition figures to be potentially included in the talks during a meeting in Vienna, and Russia wanted the Syrian Free Army and the Kurds to take part, he was quoted as saying.

Bogdanov said Russia's list had 38 names on it, but that Moscow was flexible and happy for the list to be expanded, Interfax reported. He said the United States had promised to hand over its own list.