Assad announced his readiness to create a government together with the opposition

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in an interview with RIA Novosti, said that a government of national unity should be created in Syria, in which "independent forces, opposition forces and forces loyal to the state" will be represented.

According to him, the format of the government's work and the distribution of posts should be discussed at the talks in Geneva. Assad called the work on the country's new constitution the main goal of the transitional government.

The Syrian opposition's High Negotiating Committee, which represents the Saudi-backed rebel groups, called Assad's statements "an attempt to evade the issue." One of the members of the committee said that "after the formation of the government, Assad should not stay in power even for an hour," reports . AFP

• The Security Council resolution on Syria, adopted in December, calls for the formation of transitional authorities that would represent all political forces in the country. Within a year and a half, according to the resolution, "free and fair elections" should be held in Syria.
• In March 2016, a round of indirect talks between the Syrian government and the opposition mediated by the UN took place in Geneva. Negotiations are due to resume in April.
• Syria has been in a civil war since 2011. The conflict involves government troops, rebel groups and Islamists, including the Islamic State (the organization is recognized as a terrorist organization and banned in the Russian Federation). Since February 27, 2016, a truce has been in force on the territory of the country, which does not apply to the fight against terrorists.