Syria's top diplomat: Assad will stay until 2014 elections

Syria's foreign minister Walid al-Moallem said Wednesday that Bashar Assad will remain in power until elections scheduled for 2014, but he added that the country's embattled leader might not seek another term as president. Al-Moallem's televised remarks on a Lebanese channel came as the main Syrian opposition group ruled out participation in proposed peace talks in Geneva in June unless it receives assurances that Assad will leave in an agreed settlement.      "From now until the next elections, President Bashar Assad is president of the Syrian Arab Republic," said Al-Moallem, adding that he would run for the top post again in 2014 elections if the Syrian people wanted him to do so. "If the people don't want that, I don't think he will." Al-Moallem warned that Syria "will retaliate immediately" if Israel strikes Syrian territories once again. The Syrian top diplomat also said any settlement the Geneva peace talks would produce would have to be put on referendum in Syria.