Syrian government says ready to resume dialogue with opposition: state media

Reuters

BEIRUT (Reuters) - The Syrian government on Friday said it was ready to resume dialogue with the Syrian opposition, but without external intervention or preconditions, a statement carried by state news agency SANA said, citing a foreign ministry source. The statement said Syria was responding to comments by United Nations Syria mediator Staffan de Mistura on Thursday that it was time to look again at political discussions, and said Syria was ready to resume "Syrian-Syrian dialogue". (Reporting by Lisa Barrington, editing by Larry King)