Syria committed to national reconciliation: Assad

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad reiterates that Damascus is committed to a national reconciliation process to end the country’s conflict.

Assad made the remark on Wednesday in a meeting with local community leaders from the Damascus countryside.

The Syrian people are fully capable of finding a peaceful solution to the crisis, he said.

The Syrian president also stressed that any reconciliation process should be free from foreign interference.

He further hailed constructive efforts made by the dignitaries for reconciliation despite all the hardships they encounter.

The dignitaries, for their part, vowed to continue supporting the reconciliation process in order to bring an end to the unrest.

Syria will hold presidential election on June 3. Damascus has insisted that it would hold the vote despite the foreign-backed militancy that has plagued the country for more than three years.

A total of 24 hopefuls officially registered their candidacy for the upcoming election.

Assad is also among those who have registered to stand in the country’s presidential poll, seeking another seven-year term in office.

The government says the Syrian people should take part in the vote to decide the future of the country.

Syria has been experiencing unrelenting violence since March 2011. The Western powers and their regional allies — especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — are reportedly supporting the militants operating inside Syria.

Reports say that more than 150,000 people have so far been killed and millions of others displaced due to the violence.