The secretary general of the Arab League said he would meet with the Syrian opposition at the league’s headquarters in Cairo before the end of the month.
"The meeting aims to agree on a single plan during this phase to submit to [United Nations envoy] Kofi Annan, who asked the Syrian government to appoint a representative to begin a political dialogue," said Nabil al-Araby in an interview published Thursday in London-based Al-Hayat newspaper.
"The Arab ministerial committee concerned with the situation in Syria has commissioned the secretary general of the Arab League to invite all Syrian opposition movements to a meeting before the end of the current month, as a prelude to launch a comprehensive political dialogue between the government and the opposition," he said.
Araby denied there would be any deadline to end talks between the Syrian opposition and the government. “I only said the opposition would meet in Cairo by the end of the current month. I hope a week later we can specify a date to hold talks between the government and the opposition,” he added.
"My message to the Syrian opposition, which I have been reiterating since last September when we started contacting them, is: Agree on a minimum [demand] and use it to negotiate [with the government]. And don't ever think that you can settle every single large and small point of contention."
Araby said reported splits among the opposition are "not suitable at this stage" and urged all opposition movements to unify and negotiate as one bloc with the Syrian government.
