Syrian Information Minister Omran Zoabi speaks during a news conference in Damascus earlier this year. (File photo: Reuters)

(VOVworld) - Syrian Information Minister Omran al-Zohbi has said the country’s regime will not attend the second international peace conference on Syria if the aim is for President Bashar al-Assad to hand over power.

The conference, also known as the Geneva II talks, is scheduled to take place in the middle of this month in Switzerland. The statement came while Washington, Moscow and the United Nations are trying to fix a date for the Geneva II talks to bring all sides together to discuss a political solution to the conflict that has killed more than 120,000 people since March 2011.

But the plan has been met with fierce opposition from insiders. Syria's opposition has refused to attend unless Assad's resignation is on the table. Rebel groups have warned that participants would be considered traitors. Meanwhile, Damascus has resolutely rejected the possibility of Bashar al-Assad’s resignation. al-Assad said he would attend negotiations in Geneva if terrorist elements were not present.

Earlier, Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad reiterated Damascus’ commitment to participating in the Geneva II talks saying that the event should be carefully prepared. Mekdad added that the conference should adopt views on non-violence and non-terrorism.