Syria's crisis to be solved only through dialogue

DAMASCUS - Syria's President Bashar al-Assad stresses that the Syrian crisis would only be solved through national dialogue among Syrians and under a Syrian leadership, according to the state-run SANA news agency.

The president's remarks were made during a written letter he sent to Pope Francis of the Vatican via Joseph Sweid, a Syrian minister of state, who held talks in the Vatican on Saturday.

The letter, while hailing the Vatican's stance regarding the Syrian crisis, included Assad's affirmation that the Syrian crisis should be solved without foreign intervention, adding that the Syrian people are the only ones to determine their future and leadership through ballot boxes.

While the letter stressed the Syrian administration's resolve to embark on dialogue in the planned Geneva II peace conference, Assad stressed that combating terrorism is a crucial factor to make any political solution to the long-standing conflict successful.

In the letter, Assad stressed that curbing terrorism requires preventing the countries, which are involved in supporting the "armed terrorist groups," from providing the armed groups with logistical, financial support as well as the training they are providing those groups with, especially in neighboring and regional countries.

The president also stressed his administration's keenness to continue practicing its constitutional duty in protecting the citizens with all of their religious and ethnic backgrounds against the crimes of the jihadist-linked groups, which have become rampant in Syria.

Syria's Christians have shown support to the embattled President Bashar al-Assad whose administration has boasted itself as a defender of the minority groups in Syria, which consists of a remarkable melange of sects and beliefs.

Syrians' hopes are now pinned on the upcoming Geneva II conference aimed to start the political process and give a chance for recovering of the sinking economy.

The conference, slated on January 22, is aimed at engaging warring Syrian parties to negotiate an end to the prolonged crisis.