UK amenable to leaving Assad in charge for Syria ‘transition’

The United Kingdom on Wednesday signaled it would accept the Assad regime in Syria for a transitional period if it would help resolve the country’s civil war, Reuters reported.

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond told the parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee that the solution of the crisis in Syria should be political rather than military, adding that London sent a message to Russia and Iran, two countries backing the Assad regime, that it would be willing to consider a plan that sees Assad stay in power temporarily.

Previously, Britain insisted that Assad step down, saying the civil war in Syria, in which some 250,000 people have been killed and millions made homeless, would not end unless he relinquished control.

“If there is a sensible plan for transition that involves Assad remaining in some way involved in the process for a period of time we will look at that, we will discuss it. We are not saying he must go on day one,” Reuters quoted Hammond as saying. He added that the transition could take several months.

Asked about Hammond’s comments, however, a spokeswoman for British Prime Minister David Cameron said that Britain still believes any positive future for Syria will not include Assad.

“We have been clear that there is going to need to be some sort of transition,” she said.

“(If) international partners want to work with us and look at what that transition would be, and help really start discussing and working on that transition then of course those are conversations we should have,” Reuters quoted her saying.

According to the news agency, Hammond dismissed a Russian proposal that Syria hold snap elections, after which Assad could share power with other political forces in the country.

“That is not an acceptable position. The international community cannot in my view facilitate and oversee a set of elections in which somebody guilty of crimes of the scale that Assad has committed is able to run for office,” Reuters quoted Hammond as saying.

He added that Iran and Russia both had the power to influence Assad, saying the countries which “call the shots with the Assad regime” should “make it clear that there has to be change.

“They can do that, they can make a phone call. Russia and Iran could have a discussion today, make a phone call to Damascus tomorrow and change the future of this situation,” the foreign secretary was quoted as saying.