Syria government declares position, without mention of transitional governing body

Syrian government representatives on Monday presented their position without mention of a transitional governing body or the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. As the joint session between delegates of the Syrian government, opposition and UN-Arab League mediator Lakhdar Brahimi entered the third day, Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Makdad told reporters they laid out basic principles held by its government. "That will pave the way for actual discussions when we come to the hard issues," said Makdad, stressing they hoped the opposition would "agree on these basic principles." The government's position included emphasis on full-respect of Syrian sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejection of all forms of foreign interference, combat against terrorism, preservation and protection of all state institutions and the country's infrastructure and public and private properties. The issue of a transitional governing body mooted by the Geneva conference on Syria and the fate of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad were left out of the paper. The opposition reportedly rejected their declaration. Monzer Arkbik, representative of the opposition, repeated to reporters their principles in regard to a transitional governing body. "The principle is that the transitional governing body should have the full executive authority and should be formed by mutual consent," said Arkbik, adding the two warring parties should agree on the structure and every member of the transitional governing body. Arkbik accused those opposed to a transitional governing body of crimes against humanity and war crimes. "We are committed to the process," he said. A tentative agreement was achieved Sunday between the two sides on humanitarian issues, particularly in allowing women and children to leave besieged areas of the Syrian city Homs.