Syria talks in London agree on no future role for Assad

Western and Arab powers agreed with Syrian opposition leaders Tuesday that President Bashar al-Assad should play no future role in government, but they struggled to convince the rebels to attend key peace talks in Geneva next month.

The rebels, who met with the so-called Friends of Syria group of 11 countries in London, said they would not take part in the Geneva conference in late November if any regime members were there, and insisted that Assad's departure was essential.