The Syrian government will not hand over power at talks on a peaceful solution to the country's conflict in Geneva, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said on Monday.

"We will head to Geneva not to hand over power to the other side... We will go to Geneva in order to set up a real partnership and a broad national unity government," Muallem told a press conference in Damascus.

The foreign minister said he advised anyone with "illusions" that the government would hand over power "not to go to Geneva."

The Syrian government has said it will attend the mooted conference, being proposed by the United States and Russia, despite their support for opposing sides of the Syrian conflict.

But prospects for the conference appear dim, and it has already been delayed, with an original June date now pushed back until at least July.

The opposition has said that any solution to the conflict must involve the departure of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, something the regime has repeatedly ruled out.

And the opposition insists it will not attend the conference unless certain conditions are met -- including the withdrawal of regime-allied fighters from the Shiite Lebanese group Hezbollah from Syria.

Syria says decision to arm rebels will prolong war
Ldamascus, Syria (AFP) June 24, 2013 - A decision by backers of the Syrian revolt against President Bashar al-Assad to step up assistance to the rebels will only prolong the country's bloody war, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem said Monday.

"Two days ago a conference (of the Friends of Syria group) was held in Doha. They emerged with a clear decision to arm the opposition... This will only prolong the crisis," Muallem told reporters in Damascus.

On Saturday, Qatar said the Friends of Syria group had agreed on a "secret" plan to ramp up assistance to the rebels.

In Doha, US Secretary of State John Kerry meanwhile pledged support for the rebels to end an "imbalance" in Assad's favour.

"Who decides when the balance needs to be restored?" asked Muallem.

"They say the restoration of balance is aimed at forcing the Syrian government to attend the Geneva talks. We said we are ready to attend -- but what about the other side?" he added, referring to the opposition.

The opposition has said it will only take part in talks with regime representatives should such negotiations lead to the fall of Assad's regime.

The Friends of Syria group "said they are acting for the sake of the Syrian people. Does killing the Syrian people achieve that goal?" Muallem said.

He also lashed out against the Al-Nusra Front, a jihadist rebel group allied with Al-Qaeda that is fighting the Assad regime.

Muallem said that any arms provided to the opposition will end up in Al-Nusra's hands.

"Why don't they (the Friends of Syria) see how they are contributing to terrorism?

"All the reports show that Al-Nusra Front are the key players on the ground... Therefore (the rebels' backers) will be arming Al-Nusra," Muallem added.

"I only want to say that what was decided in Doha is dangerous because it aims at prolonging the violence, and it encourages terrorism," he said.

"Arming the opposition will be an obstacle to the Geneva conference and will kill more of our people."