Sochi conference backs Syria's territorial unity, 'democratic' path

Amman: Participants at a Syrian peace conference in Russia called for respect for the country's territorial integrity and said the Syrian people alone should decide the shape of their government, according to a final statement obtained by Reuters.
Russia, a staunch ally of President Bashar Al Assad, was hosting what it called a Syrian Congress of National Dialogue in the Black Sea resort of Sochi that it hopes will launch talks on drafting a new constitution for Syria.
The statement said the participants had agreed on "basic principles" deemed essential for saving Syria after nearly seven years of civil war and endorsed a "democratic" path for the country through elections. The statement made no mention of Assad.