Syria’s Assad lambastes U.N.-led peace talks

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syrian President Bashar Assad said Monday that three years of United Nations-brokered peace talks have yielded “nothing,” in part because Syria’s opposition does not represent anyone and is merely a “vocal phenomenon.”

Assad spoke to reporters after the latest round of talks in Geneva ended last week without making any progress toward ending the nearly seven-year civil war. The U.N. envoy to Syria has criticized Assad’s government, which refuses to discuss anything besides fighting terrorism.

The opposition has long called for a transitional period in which Assad would have no role, something the government refuses to consider.

Assad praised an alternative track of negotiations that is expected to be hosted by Russia, a close ally whose military intervention since 2015 has helped to tip the civil war in the Syrian government’s favor.

“We certainly believe that anything is better than Geneva, because Geneva has achieved nothing after three years,” Assad said.

Assad said the talks in the Russian city of Sochi would examine whether Syria needs a new constitution or should amend its current one. He said legislative elections would also likely be discussed.

The main opposition group in Geneva has criticized the Sochi initiative, calling it an attempt to create an alternative track to the internationally supported peace talks.

Assad has portrayed the opposition delegation in Geneva as a proxy of hostile foreign powers.

Assad spoke after meeting with a Russian government delegation. He said the visit was a chance to promote economic cooperation, “particularly now that we started the reconstruction phase.” He did not specify any particular projects.