riyadh/amman syria main opposition stick demand thursday president bashar al-assad play role interim period u.n.-sponsored peace deal despite speculation could soften stance assad battlefield strength gather saudi arabia 140 participants broad spectrum syria mainstream opposition also blast iran military presence syria call shi ite militias back tehran leave country participants stress transition happen without departure bashar al assad clique start interim period opposition group say communique end meet iran-backed militias sow terrorism sectarian strife sunni shi ite muslims communique say opposition group meet seek unify position ahead u.n.-backed peace talk two years russian military intervention help assad government recapture syria main cities syrian opposition send message ready enter serious direct talk political transition syria unify position vision future syria ahmad ramadan opposition spokesman tell reuters participants elect 50 members high negotiations committee finalize friday delegation next round u.n.-sponsored talk agree group components present riyadh cairo moscow platforms formation one delegation participate direct negotiations geneva days spokeswoman basma qadmani say u.n. peace talk mediator staffan de mistura prepare new round geneva talk visit moscow friday expect discuss situation syria speculation opposition meet could soften demand kremlin ally assad leave power transition riyad hijab opposition hardline lead high negotiations committee represent opposition previous round negotiations abruptly quit week many years western arab countries back opposition demand assad leave office however since russia join war behalf assad government become increasingly clear assad opponents path victory battlefield russian president vladimir putin call congress syrian government opposition draw framework future structure syrian state adopt new constitution hold elections un supervision also say political settlement syria would finalise within geneva peace talk process oversee unite nations opposition long suspicious parallel diplomatic track push russia propose sochi congress include talk kazakhstan insist political dialogue take place geneva opposition communique say participants support u.n. base process would allow syria undergo radical political transition authoritarian system democracy free elections would uphold negotiations direct without precondition base past u.n. security council resolutions say opposition back restructure army security organs preservation state institutions call trial responsible war crimes meet include independents free syrian army military factions also blame syrian government lack progress geneva-based talk hold past political process achieve goal regime violations communique say cite bomb civilian areas siege rebel hold areas detention tens thousands dissidents syria civil war seventh year kill hundreds thousands people create world bad refugee crisis drive 11 million people home syria opposition meet riyadh see role assad transition