Syrian President Bashar Assad received on Sunday a French delegation, including a number of members of the French National Assembly and a number of intellectuals.

President Assad slammed the French official policy; saying is it is disconnected from the reality of the war in Syria.

He stressed that this policy has helped inflame the situation through the support provided to the terrorist organizations, which have turned into a threat not only to the peoples of the region, but to the peoples of the Western countries as well, SANA news agency reported.

The Syrian leader pointed out that the delegation’s visit and what they have come to see during their tours, especially in Aleppo, would help them create realistic views about the crimes committed by the terrorists against the Syrian people.

Meanwhile, the head of the delegation, Lawmaker Thierry Mariani, quoted Assad as saying he was “optimistic” about new peace talks planned for later this month, according to AFP news agency

Mariani said the Syrian president also declared himself willing to negotiate with nearly 100 armed opposition groups fighting against his government, excluding Takfiri organizations.

The visit comes a day after the delegation visited second city Aleppo, recently recaptured by the government.

Source: Agencies