Khoja

China is joining global efforts to end the Syrian crisis and mediate between the conflicting parties. After two weeks of the Syrian Foreign Minister, Walid al-Moallem’s visit to Beijing, the President of the Syrian Coalition Khaled Khoja is expected to arrive to China’s capital today following a governmental invitation in a visit that will last until Friday, January 8.

Sources from the Coalition told Asharq Al-Awsat that Khoja’s visit is within the framework of ongoing efforts to reach a political solution, to elucidate the magnitude of the Syrian case and to listen to the Chinese point of view regarding the developments occurring in this case. The sources stressed on the disparities between the Chinese and the Russian stances, which are counted on.

The spokeswoman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Hua Chunying, said that the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will meet Khoja during his stay in Beijing to promote a political settlement in Syria. She urged all parties to work together to fight terrorism and reach a settlement to ceasefire in Syria.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Supreme Commission for Negotiations, which emerged from the meeting of the Syrian Opposition forces in Riyadh, will meet the UN peace envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura in the Saudi capital before he heads to Damascus to prepare for the negotiations that are scheduled by the end of January in Geneva.

Sources from the Commission revealed for Asharq Al-Awsat the preparations made for a working paper containing the opposition forces’ vision regarding the upcoming negotiations with the regime. The paper, which will be submitted to the UN envoy, was agreed on during the open and ongoing meetings that have started on Sunday in Riyadh.