According to the Syrian president, Western officials are in secret talks with the leadership of Syria, repeating what the US want them to say.





MOSCOW (Sputnik) � Western governments are in�secret negotiations with�the leadership in�Syria and echo the United States� anti-government stance out�of fear of�upsetting Washington, the Arab republic�s President Bashar Assad said Thursday.
"They attack us politically and then they send officials to�deal with�us under�the table, especially the security, including your [the Australian] government," Assad said in�an interview with�Australia�s SBS News scheduled to�air Friday.


Assad argued in�the excerpt that most western officials "don�t want to�upset the United States" and "only repeat what the United States want them to�say."


Earlier, Turkish mediator Ismail Hakki Pekin told Sputnik that relations between�Ankara and Damascus have improved in�recent secret talks, as�both sides are showing willingness for�dialogue.

According to�a recent report by�Algerian newspaper Al Watan, there has been contact between�the two governments mediated by�the Algerian government.

Russia recognizes Assad as�the legitimate authority in�Syria, and has repeatedly stated the Syrian people should be free to�choose their leadership without�outside intervention. The United States and some of�its allies have been supporting elements of�the opposition, including Islamic extremists with�ties to�al-Qaeda, and have urged Assad to�resign.

By Sputnik News