Azerbaijan, Baku, Jan. 15 /Trend/
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad intends to play a role in any potential transition government and will stand for re-election in 2014, the country's deputy foreign minister said in an interview with the BBC.
"The president, and many other candidates who may run, will go to the people, put [forward] their programmes, and be elected by the people. The ballot box will be where the future of the leadership of Syria will be decided," Faisal Mekdad added.
"It is a coup d'etat if you listen to what the armed groups and those enemies of Syria are proposing", the minister said.
According to him, a plan outlined by the president in a rare speech last week was credible and reflected Syrians' wish for national dialogue.
Mr Assad's plan was rejected by the opposition as empty rhetoric and described as a "missed opportunity" by the UN envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi.
According to UN estimates, over 60,000 people have been killed in Syria since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in early 2011. Recent months have witnessed an escalation in the conflict, which is now in its 23rd month.