Long-delayed Syria peace talks due in January will take place without the presence of President Bashar al-Assad or radical opposition groups, France's foreign minister said on Tuesday.
"The purpose of Geneva II is not to have an armchair discussion about Syria, it's to have mutual agreement between regime representatives – without Assad – and the moderate opposition in order to form a transitional government," Laurent Fabius told French radio.
"It's very difficult, but it's the only solution that allows us at once not to have Mr. Bashar al-Assad and not to have the terrorists," he said, referring to the jihadist members of Syria's opposition.