(VOVworld) - Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Friday that his government will not negotiate with armed groups, calling them “terrorists” and accused Washington and its ally Saudi Arabia of backing those groups in taking part in negotiations.

Syrian President Bashar Assad, speaks during an interview with the Spanish news agency EFE, in Damascus, Syria, on December 11, 2015 (Photo: Associated Press)

Assad’s statement was made a day after a conference in Saudi Arabia that sought to form a unified opposition front ahead of proposed talks on ending Syria’s nearly five-year conflict.

Prior to the Assad’s statement, Washington said US Secretary of State John Kerry would arrive in Moscow to discuss with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov a peace plan for Syria.