Assad to lead Syria during transition

Syria's Bashar al-Assad will remain president and lead any transition agreed upon in Geneva peace talks planned for next month, a government minister insisted yesterday.
Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi also said that Saudi Arabia should be excluded from the peace conference which is scheduled on January.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's intelligence chief has held a new meeting in Russia with President Vladimir Putin on the Syrian conflict.
The Kremlin said in a statement late Tuesday that Prince Bandar bin Sultan discussed with Putin the situation in the Middle East and preparations for Geneva peace conference.