15/01/2014 11:04
Syria says West talks to Damascus about Islamist rebels
Western intelligence agencies have visited Damascus for talks on combating radical Islamist groups, Syria's deputy foreign minister has told the BBC.
Faisal Mekdad said there was a schism between Western security officials and politicians who are pressing President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
The growth of jihadist groups among rebels fighting President Assad has caused international concern.
Syrian government officials are due to attend peace talks in Geneva next week.
However, the main opposition group, the Syrian National Coalition, has still not decided whether or not to take part.
Correspondents say the growing disarray of the opposition is frustrating the West and bolstering the confidence of the Syrian government.
In a recent interview, Mr Mekdad told the BBC that many Western governments had finally understood that there was no alternative to the leadership of President Assad.
Asked if Western intelligence agencies - including British intelligence - had recently visited Damascus, he said: "I will not specify but many of them have visited Damascus, yes."
On the subject of whether Syria was getting more requests from Western countries to have their diplomats return to Damascus, he added: "Yes, there are many countries who are approaching us. Of course some are waiting for Geneva, some are saying we are exploring the possibilities, some are saying we want to co-operate on security measures because those terrorists they are sending from Western Europe into Turkey, into Syria, have become a real threat to them."