Damascus rejects idea of Ramadan ceasefire

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Syria is rejecting the idea of a ceasefire with the rebel opposition during the holy month of Ramadan, which is due to begin Tuesday.

Syria’s UN ambassador says “We need a full end of violence, not a partial one.”

Ambassador Bashar Ja’afari said Monday that the Syrian rebels would have to be fully engaged in the peace talks and commit to a US-Russian sponsored round of talks in Geneva.

He was responding to a report in The Independent newspaper quoting the new head of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, Ahmad Jarba, as offering a Ramadan cease-fire.

The Syrian National Coalition said recently it will not attend the Geneva talks unless they are about President Bashar Assad handing over power.