Riyadh-based Syria group says no direct Assad talks

A Riyadh-based Syrian opposition group preparing for possible talks with the Damascus regime said on Friday it will not talk to President Bashar Al Assad himself.
"We're not entering any negotiation until all the points in 'Geneva 1' are applied, which is that Assad and his government must not be in power, the transitional period has to be without him and he must be tried for his crimes," said Riad Hijab, a former Syrian prime minister who defected in 2012.
He was referring to international talks on Syria's future held that same year in Switzerland.
"Either that, or no negotiation," Hijab told reporters, following his election as general coordinator for a High Committee set up at unprecedented talks last week in the Saudi capital to unify political and armed Syrian factions.
The future of Assad is a key issue in efforts to end Syria's nearly five-year-old conflict that has left more than 250,000 dead and forced millions from their homes.
Western- and Arab-backed rebel groups have insisted the Syrian leader step down immediately. Internal opposition groups disagree, as do Assad's main backers Tehran and Moscow.
About 100 representatives of the main Syrian political opposition and armed factions agreed in Riyadh to negotiate with the regime but insisted he step down at the start of any political transition.
The Daesh group which has seized large parts of Syria and Iraq, and the Al Qaeda affiliated Al Nusra Front were excluded from the Riyadh meeting.
Kurdish fighters were also left out.
The Riyadh gathering came after top diplomats from 17 countries - including backers and opponents of Assad - agreed in Vienna on a roadmap for Syria.
It would see a transitional government set up within six months followed by elections within 18 months. It calls for negotiations between the opposition and Assad's regime to start by January 1.

• MENA