Riyad Na’asan Agha, spokesman for the Syrian High Negotiations Committee (HNC).

:: Saudi Arabia has expressed its support for the decision of the Syrian people toward resolving the political crisis afflicting their war-torn country. This was stated by Riyad Na’asan Agha, the spokesman for the Syrian High Negotiations Committee (HNC), at the conclusion of the Syrian opposition conference in Riyadh on Tuesday

According to the HNC spokesman, Saudi Arabia underlined the importance of the international changes with respect to the issue and the need to take them into consideration, but it also said that, “They (the Saudi government) support any decision taken by the Syrian people”.

This statement was in response to head of the Syrian opposition’s Moscow platform Qadri Jamil’s talks with regards to forming a ‘unified delegation’ at the conclusion of the Syrian opposition talks in Riyadh, where he said that he had “noticed a change in the Saudi position on the Syrian crisis.”

Committed to oust Assad

Na’asan Agha told Al-Arabiya.net that the negotiation body is committed to the decision of the Syrian people to oust al-Assad, indicating that it is not a condition, but “the crux of the Syrian negotiations now”.

He also said: “The Moscow platform doesn’t want to mention Assad’s departure at all, but we also told them that it is impossible to have a political transition with him on board”.

October conference

However, Na’asan Agha suggested that the door for the Moscow platform was still open, as it is expected to participate in the expanded opposition conference to be held in October: “The negotiations have not failed yet … I believe that Saudi Arabia will invite the Moscow platform for the enlarged Riyadh conference in October.”