Syria opposition rejects Assad's conditions

2013-05-31 39

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

The Syrian opposition has dismissed comments by the country's president that any potential peace accord will come with conditions.

In an interview on Lebanese television, Bashar al-Assad said agreements could only be approved through a national referendum.

Ahmed Kamal is from the Syrian National Coalition.

SOUNDBITE: (French) SYRIAN NATIONAL COALITION MEMBER, AHMED KAMAL, SAYING:

"This is a joke, there is no freedom in Syria and there is no security in Syria. It's impossible to live in Syria, how can we have a referendum under the rule of a dictator and during a war? These are two important conditions that we need for a referendum, and they don't exist."

The dispute comes ahead of proposed peace talks in Geneva next month.

Assad says the government will attend the conference despite doubts about a positive outcome.