The Syrian opposition to the Damascus regime said Thursday it rejected "any role" now or in the future for current President Bashar al-Assad, even though the United States now says Assad's departure is no longer a priority to end the conflict.
"The opposition will never accept any role for Bashar al-Assad at any phase... there will be no change in our position," said Monzer Makhos, a spokesman for the opposition High Negotiations Committee, composed of key Syrian opposition groups in Geneva.
For the past week, a fifth round of UN-sponsored negotiations seeking to halt Syria's six-year war has been under way in the Swiss city.