(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Syria's two main opposition groups settled longstanding differences Friday to agree that President Bashar al-Assad must step down in any deal to end the country's bloody conflict.
The issue has dogged efforts to get the exiled but widely recognised Syrian National Coalition and the National Coordination Committee for Democratic Change (NCCDC), which is tolerated by the Syrian authorities, to agree a common platform.
The two groups said in a statement after a meeting in Brussels that peace "can be achieved through a political process undertaken by the Syrians themselves, under the auspices of the UN."
This solution would involve "a fundamental and comprehensive change of the current political regime, including the head of the regime and all its leaders, pillars and security agencies."
They said they had now "agreed a road map for the salvation of Syria, including the basic principles of a political settlement, to be adopted by their respective competent bodies."
This would be based on the 2012 Geneva accord which envisaged a transitional government of national unity with full powers to run the country and organise elections.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.