MOSCOW. July 21 (Interfax) - Moscow confirms its preparedness for contacts with the new leaders of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces.
"We are open to contacts with the new leaders of the National Coalition and are ready to look for points of contact in every aspect of the Syrian crisis," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov said in an interview with Interfax.
As to whether Russia planned to meet with Syrian opposition members, the diplomat said, "So far, no. But if the coalition expresses this wish we will be ready to talk, either in Moscow or in another place."
Russia maintains sufficient contacts with the Syrian authorities, the deputy minister stressed. "They [the contacts] are maintained on a daily basis via the Russian Embassy in Damascus," Gatilov said.