MOSCOW. March 11 (Interfax) - The peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict is impossible without Russia's assistance, a member of the administration of the Syrian National Coordination Committees (internal opposition), Heisam Manaa, said.
"We are very happy to be here because we always say that the peaceful political settlement goes through Moscow, even when the League of Arab States has offered a solution of its own," Manaa said prior to the meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Monday.
Manaa said that the opposition delegation he headed was to include another leader of the National Coordination Committees, Abdul-Aziz al-Khair, who was still in jail.
Lavrov said in response that Moscow was doing its best to determine al-Khair's location.
"We are convinced that only a political solution can save us from turning into another Somalia," Manaa said.
"Fortunately, now a number of leaders of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as well as a considerable number commanding officers and state officials share this opinion," Manaa said.
The Syrian opposition activist said that progress had not been made with the peaceful settlement of the Syrian conflict because a strong commitment to a military settlement was still popular.
"But most Syrians believe the political settlement to be the desired one which will save the country," Manaa said.