ISTANBUL – Syria's opposition cast doubt on Friday on hopes of any meaningful progress in planned international peace talks after President Bashar Al-Assad said only a referendum could decide whether he should leave power. Russia and the United States are trying to draw Assad's representatives and his opponents into a conference in Geneva on forming a transitional government in an effort to end a civil war that has killed more than 80,000 people. The acting head of the opposition coalition said it would stay out of any such talks as long as Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas were fighting alongside Assad's forces. It was not clear if the statement by George Sabra was the fragmented organization's final word. "The Syrian coalition will not participate in international conferences and will not support any efforts in light of Hezbollah and Iran's militia invasion of Syria," Sabra said. Russia, Assad's main ally, has accused the Syrian opposition for its part of undermining the prospects for negotiations by voting to take part only if a deadline is set for an internationally guaranteed settlement based on Assad's exit. The Syrian National Coalition has been riven by disagreements during a week of talks in Istanbul, and Sabra's colleagues were more cautious. A spokesman said the coalition had not made a final decision on whether to go to Geneva. Other officials said Sabra's view did not necessarily represent that of the wider opposition. – Reuters
