MOSCOW, January 6 (RIA Novosti) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is preparing to deliver a rare speech on Sunday in which he is expected to focus on the conflict in the country, the official SANA news agency has said.

“President Bashar al-Assad will deliver a speech on Sunday on the latest developments in Syria and the region,” the agency said in a statement.

In his address, Assad will express his view on how to resolve the 21-month crisis in the Middle East country and discuss latest agreements reached in Geneva at the meeting of foreign ministers from the permanent members of the UN Security Council, Iran’s Press TV said.

At least 60,000 people have been killed in Syria’s conflict between government forces and the opposition, which comprises groups of all stripes, from Communists and secular liberals to Islamist groups, including Al-Qaeda.

Western powers have insisted on President Bashar al-Assad’s departure before the formation of a new government of national unity while Russia insisted that the decision be left to the “Syrian people.”