Vienna Talks Set to Address Syria Political Transition Timeline – EU Source

The dates for a political transition in Syria proposed by various parties will be discussed at the upcoming Vienna reconciliation talks on Saturday, a senior EU source told RIA Novosti on Friday.

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – The diplomatic source, who wished to remain anonymous, said the talks would focus on the roles of the opposition and Syrian President Bashar Assad during the transition period.

"The transfer of power will be discussed in Vienna on Saturday. As for the timing of the transition – I heard six to eight months from different sides – nothing has been decided. This will be discussed in Vienna," the source said.

Brussels’ position is "the shorter the transition, the better," and that Syria is not yet ready to hold elections at the present stage.

"There may be elections at the end of the process, but we cannot start from this point," the EU source said.

Neither official Damascus nor the Syrian opposition have been invited to Vienna on Saturday.

The previous Vienna talks on October 30 resulted in a nine-point plan to end the Syrian civil war, including defining a mutually agreed concept of Syrian national unity, self-determination of the Syrian people, defeating extremist groups and assisting refugees.