US Former Envoy Casts Doubt on Assad's Ability to Engage With Opposition

Former US Ambassador to Syria Richard Murphy said that Assad's willingness to engage with the opposition could be tentative and highly conditional.

MOSCOW (Sputnik), Daria Chernyshova — Syrian President Bashar Assad's willingness to engage with the country's opposition could be "highly conditional," former US Ambassador to Syria Richard Murphy told Sputnik on Friday.

On Wednesday, Assad outlined in an interview with Sputnik the need for a unity government in his country that would include "opposition, independent, the current government and other" political forces. According to the Syrian leader, the transitional period in the war-torn country must occur under the current constitution.

"Opening up to a dialogue with the opposition is clearly a good thing but I suspect that his willingness to engage with the opposition is tentative and highly conditional," the former envoy said.

The latest round of negotiations between the Syrian government and opposition forces took place on March 14-24 in Geneva and centered around a transitional political process for the Arab country, which has been in a state of civil war since 2011.

The Saudi-backed Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee was seeking the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers.

According to Assad, having the transitional body in Syria would be "illogical and unconstitutional."

Assad's remarks come ahead of the next round of intra-Syria talks that could start as early as April 9.