Syrian opposition will work with Sochi proposal under U.N. auspices: chief negotiator

Syria's opposition will cooperate with proposals made at a Russia-hosted conference this week to rewrite the country's constitution as long as the process remains under U.N. auspices, the chief opposition negotiator said on Thursday. Participants at Tuesday's meeting in the Black Sea resort of Sochi in Russia - which is a powerful supporter of President Bashar al-Assad - agreed to set up a committee to change the Syrian constitution, and called for democratic elections. The main Syrian opposition negotiating group had boycotted the gathering, while the United States, Britain and France also stayed away because of what they said was the Syrian government's refusal to properly engage.