The Syrian leader has lost much of the country to the ISIS and other groups in the four-year war; half the population has been displaced, many areas have been levelled, and masses of refugees are flooding Europe. “The reaction to developments in Syria has started changing after the UN General Assembly, after its main part in which heads of state, government and foreign ministers took part”, he stated.
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If the Syrian people want presidential elections “there will be no red line” against holding them, al-Assad said in the interview.
But there are hints that Russia’s support may be wobbling even as it ramps up airstrikes against his enemies: Moscow made clear earlier this month it is not crucial that he stay. “It is because it is unimaginable that you can stop the civil war there when the overwhelming majority of people in Syria consider him to be a brutal, murderous dictator”.
“Irrespective of disagreements of policy over Syria, I am determined to work with other country services the best I can in order to prevent successful terrorist attacks”, he said.
A leading US diplomat contends the answer is yes.
The president proclaimed that France is “at war” with terrorists, but also warned against overreactions.
Within a short span of one year ISIS declared itself a caliphate and has spread its wings beyond Iraq and Syria and conducting terror attacks in countries who are invloved in air strikes.
U.S., European and Arab officials said they remain cautious about Mr. Putin’s willingness to distance Russian Federation from Iran and Mr. Assad.
“Syria has been a Pyrrhic victory for Iran”, he said. “They’ve succeeding in keeping Assad in power, but their desire to be the vanguard of the Islamic world has been irreparably damaged”.
The plan of the Syria global Support Group calls for negotiations between the Syrian government and the opposition.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said delegates had agreed that a transition government in Syria should be set up in six months and elections held in 18 months.
US Secretary of State John Kerry told the BBC on Tuesday that pushing Assad out “has to be part of a transition if you’re going to end the war”. Behind closed doors, Western countries and Saudi Arabia are trying to draw a wedge between Moscow and Tehran over Syria’s president, according to the Wall Street Journal.
But Assad is not likely to go willingly anytime soon.
The USA and Russia appear to be working at cross purposes – the US bombing ISIS and seeking Assad’s ouster, while Russian planes are accused of bombing U.S.-supported rebels in support of Assad.
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PHR’s report, which was completed prior to last week’s attacks, raised concern that high profile assaults by IS in both Syria and overseas could shift attention from the Assad regime, which it called the principal perpetrator of attacks on civilians and medical facilities in Syria.
