"It's not possible, we all see it. Because there will be no results on the ground, there won't be negotiations and there will always be war", Hollande told France Inter radio on Friday. "We've committed ourselves to it, and we need Russian Federation to do the same", she added.
Assad also hit out at Turkey, telling Spanish daily El Pais he was "ready" for a ceasefire but only if "the terrorists" did not exploit it to improve their positions.
High Negotiations Committee chief Riad Hijab: Any ceasefire must be reached with global mediation, including Russia, Iran and their sectarian militias and mercenaries.
Adding more fuel to the fire are reports that Saudia Arabia may get involved in Syria in a militaristic role. It also "strongly" condemned cross-border shelling, the flow of terrorist fighters and the illegal movement of weapons from Syria's "neighbors".
Western diplomats expressed hope that Russian Federation could use its influence over Assad to persuade him to start talks with armed opposition groups and eventually agree to step down.
In a statement published by the state-run SANA news agency, it accused Turkey of committing "crimes" against the Syrians by firing artillery shells at areas in the northern province of Aleppo. But if it happens, we're going to deal with them like we deal with the terrorists.
Obama, in an apparent reference to Russian Federation, also "urgently called for a halt to actions that heighten tensions with Turkey and with moderate opposition forces in northern Syria, and undermine our collective efforts in northern Syria to degrade and defeat ISIL".
The ISIS-stronghold town of Shaddadeh in northeastern Syria was captured by the Syria Democratic Forces, which includes YPG, from ISIS militants but the terrorist group said it is still in control of the town.
He recalled that terrorists operating in country were getting "active support from the outside".
Saudi Arabia is a key backer of rebels against President Bashar Assad. "Because whatever the capabilities of the Syrian army, it was the effective operations of Russian air forces that allowed them to push their opponents back from Damascus". Troops from 34 countries with mostly Sunni populations might be included in this contingent.
"I do not want to exclude Russian Federation from the solution".
Turkish Ambassador Yasar Halit Cevik said his country was facing "national security threats emanating from Syria" in reference to the Kurdish militias it is targeting in the country's north.
The ISSG was set up in November, shortly after the beginning of the Syria peace talks in Vienna as an global format aimed at resolving the internal crisis in Syria.
Asked how he saw his own future in ten years' time, Assad said: "The most important thing is how I see my country, because I'm part of my country".
A source close to peace talks earlier told Reuters that one of the conditions was that Al-Qaeda-linked Al-Nusra Front would not be targeted by the government forces and their allies.
"We have always sought to resolve any disputed issues exclusively through political and diplomatic means, we have repeatedly contributed to stabilizing the situation in different countries, helped resolve serious conflicts", Putin said.
A working group for the cessation of hostilities in Syria is to gather in Geneva next week.
"This is a decision that the global coalition will have to make".
Conor McGregor to Net UFC's First $1M Disclosed Purse[1]
Dana White told MMA Mania that McGregor will probably stay at Welterweight and not return to the featherweight division. She'll reportedly take at least $500,000 home from her fight with women's No. 1 contender Miesha Tate.
References
- ^ Conor McGregor to Net UFC's First $1M Disclosed Purse (bsccomment.com)
