DAMASCUS, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Syrian government said on Thursday that it welcomed the outcome of the Russian-backed Sochi peace talks on Syria, saying it's the first step in the political solution to the crisis, state news agency SANA reported.
The Sochi talks and its final communique prove that the Syrian political process cannot begin except under a Syrian leadership without foreign intervention, the Syrian Foreign Ministry said.
It said the outcome of the Russian-backed talks constitutes the "concrete base" on which any talks or dialogue will be launched.
The ministry also expressed gratitude for Russia, Syria's main international ally, saying the Syrian government supports any political track that salvages Syria and curbs the bloodshed as long as the solution doesn't encroach upon the Syrian sovereignty.
The Syrian National Dialogue Congress was held in the Black Sea resort town of Sochi on Jan. 29-30, where Russia invited 1,600 Syrians to the conference, the highest number in the Syrian peace talks.
The conference ended with a final statement of agreement on the formation of a constitutional committee, which consists of 150 people from the opposition and the government, to discuss amendments to the current Syrian constitution, instead of mapping out a new one.
The statement highlighted the unity of the Syrian territories without touching upon the presidency of Bashar al-Assad.
