Syrian National Coalition President Ahmad Jarba is signaling that elements of the Syrian opposition will boycott proposed peace talks unless the negotiations’ goal is to facilitate the removal from power of the Bashar al-Assad regime, after Assad stated that not only is he not considering stepping down, but that he sees no reason why he shouldn’t run for reelection in 2014. The juxtaposition will likely deepen skepticism about the potential for a breakthrough at the talks, which are oriented toward ending almost three years of bloody conflict in Syria. Interviewed by Syria’s Al Mayadeen TV, Assad also criticized the opposition for working on behalf of foreign powers to undermine Syria.

He said opposition groups that had been invited to the talks represented foreign powers rather than Syrians. He criticised Qatar, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the United States and also the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood, which he described as a terrorist group.

Meanwhile, two fighters from the Iran-backed Lebanese terror group Hezbollah were reportedly killed in Syria during clashes against rebel forces.

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