Syria says Russia congress 'cornerstone' of solution

DAMASCUS: A Syria peace congress hosted this week by ally Russia is the "cornerstone" of any solution to the country's nearly seven-year conflict, a government source said on Thursday.

Tuesday's congress in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, snubbed by Syria's main opposition and the Kurds, agreed on the creation of a commission to discuss the country's post-war constitution.

UN Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura, who attended the meeting, said the United Nations would lead efforts to form the commission.

A copy of the final statement, seen by AFP in Arabic, did not mention the fate of Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad.

In a statement quoted by state news agency SANA, a source in Syria's foreign ministry said the talks in Sochi were "the cornerstone of the political process and solid base upon which dialogue will be launched from now on".

Around 1,400 delegates attended Tuesday's meeting, as part of a broader push by regime-backer Moscow to consolidate its influence in the Middle East.

But the main opposition group, the Syrian Negotiations Committee, boycotted the meeting as did representatives of Syria's Kurdish minority.