What then? What follows Assad?’
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A blueprint for a political transition in Syria, due to be presented by an opposition group in London on Wednesday, offers the first credible picture of a peaceful Syria without President Bashar al-Assad, Britain’s Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said.
The plan then foresees the setting up of a transitional administration made up of opposition and government figures which would run Syria for 18 months, during which time Assad would depart.
Mr Johnson said the proposals would not seek to sweep away state structures: “That was (one of) the mistakes in Iraq, and it will not be repeated”.
Elections would be overseen by the United Nations.
‘Above all, the High Negotiations Committee does not represent the victory of one sectarian group over another or the transfer of power from one faction in Syria to another.
Johnson wrote: “If the Russians and Americans can together create a ceasefire, then the talks can restart in Geneva with the difference, perhaps, that all sides will by then have seen at least the scaffolding of a post-Assad Syria”.
“They propose a gradual transition”.
“According to our vision, the aim of the transitional phase is to preserve the sovereignty and independence of the state – the starting point is getting rid of Assad and his men”, HNC head Riyad Hijab told a press conference in London, adding that the opposition’s future also “safeguards” the rights of Kurdish people. That effort has not worked, not so far.
Although dubbing Assad a “monster” but Isis (Daesh) “much worse”, back then he wrote in the Telegraph how Putin used a “ruthless clarity” to defend his client, saying: “If Putin’s troops have helped winkle the maniacs from Palmyra, then (it pains me to admit) that is very much to the credit of the Russians”.
Reuters news agency on Tuesday said the United States had hoped to announce an agreement over the weekend to halt the fighting in the 5-1/2-year-old Syrian civil war, but Washington failed to strike an agreement with Russian Federation.
The remarks ahead of Wednesday’s talks in London could be seen as a signal the Government is prepared to give stronger backing to the Syrian opposition.
The Syrian Arab news agency Sana reported from Damascus that during the meeting, al-Assad criticised Western media for “falsifying” events in Syria.
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The dictator posted a photograph of the encounter on Twitter after meeting with the group, including crossbenchers Baroness Cox and Lord Hylton and Reverend Michael Nazir-Ali.
