Egypt to reach out to more Syrian opposition groups in coming period

Egypt will attempt to communicate with a wider base of  the Syrian opposition in the coming days in an attempt to forge a unified voice among opponents of the Assad regime, the foreign affairs ministry spokesman said on Wednesday.

New Syrian opposition factions have reached out to Egypt to be included in talks to reach a solution for the crisis in the country, state news agency MENA quoted Spokesman Ahmed Abu-Zeid as saying.

The spokesman did not name the Syrian opposition factions willing to talk.

Abu-Zeid explained that the question of warring parties adhering to a recently US-Russian brokered ceasefire on the ground in Syrian is very challenging.

He said the Syrian opposition has reservations on joining peace talks at a time when the ceasefire is being regularly breached.

Egypt has launched an initiative for different parties to observe the ceasefire during the Muslim month of Ramadan in order to allow aid to reach those in need.

As a non-permanent member of the UN’s Security Council, Cairo is mediating efforts on ways to deliver aid to Syria by land and air.

Since the start of the Syrian crisis, Egypt has maintained that a political solution is the only way to put an end to bloodshed and conflict in the war-torn country.

Egypt has hosted on more than one occasion meetings in Cairo between various Syrian opposition factions it deems moderate to forge a more united opposition.

source: Ahram Online