U.N. Envoy: No Return to Assad's Old Syria

إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية W460

The old Syria ruled by President Bashar Assad's family is finished and the "new Syria" will never be the same, the U.N. special envoy said Thursday, in a strong hint that Assad will have to step down before a civil war can end.

Speaking to reporters after briefing the U.N. Security Council on what he said was the deteriorating situation in Syria, U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi did not mention Assad by name.

However, when asked whether a peace plan being considered by diplomats would require regime change, the envoy said: "I think it's very, very, very clear that the people of Syria want change, and real change, not cosmetic changes."

"The new Syria will not look like the Syria of today," he said.

In an apparent reference to the chaotic wartime collapses of the long-entrenched regimes in Libya and Iraq, Brahimi stressed the importance of not allowing state institutions to "wither away."

He said there should be an "evolution toward the new Syria" and that "it's the Syrians who will decide what kind of regime they will have."

Brahimi said Syria "very, very urgently" needed a ceasefire and a large peacekeeping force.

"A ceasefire will not hold unless it is very, very strongly observed. That, I believe, will require a peacekeeping mission."

Although Brahimi said the Security Council was the only forum capable of taking action on Syria, the body remains divided between Western nations and Assad allies Russia and China.

Moscow and Beijing have blocked three Council resolutions condemning the Syrian government, while Russia complains that the United States has refused to condemn car bombings by rebels in Syria.

Russia's U.N. ambassador, Vitaly Churkin, called Brahimi's briefing "very sobering" and said Moscow was "extremely disturbed" by the rebels' "brazen terrorist attacks."

However, Churkin denied that Russia was blindly supporting the embattled Syrian government's attempt to defeat the opposition, and he suggested that Assad was expendable.

Russia is "trying to impress on the government in Syria that there is no military solution," Churkin said. "A military solution is not really working."

Calling for negotiations between the regime and rebels, Churkin said: "We need really to find responsible people on both sides... (to) swallow their pride."

Asked if Assad should stay, Churkin said: "We're not saying President Assad should be sitting at the table."

Comments 5
Thumb Lebfrcan 30 November 2012, 00:10

Mr Brahimi go home, you are not more able than Mr Anan and he couldn't do anything. Time for some bold statements now!

Missing gabby9 30 November 2012, 00:38

He was the most pro-Assad mediator of the ones sent. ASSad is done......stick a fork in him just to see.

Missing realist 30 November 2012, 01:20

So are you admiting now that assad has no future in Syria ?

Missing realist 30 November 2012, 01:20

he is not done.. yet, but he is on his way, some revolutions take ten years though this one will not take that long. Look at the simple fact, time is on the revolution's side and just imagine where would the rebels be come summer of 2013 and you would get the pic. In afghanistan for example the USSR supported the dictator for more than ten years of atrocities, killed over 1 million afghani and in the end the dictator was killed and russia kicked out. The outcome is similar in this case, it is impossible to quel people once they all decide to take arms against you. As for christians, druze they realisticaly can only differentialy affect the war and they will switch sides eventualy and cheer for the victors so will the non hizzie M8ers. hizbustan/iran will face unprecedented isolation in the suni region in the near future.

Missing beirutbastard00 30 November 2012, 04:15

I agree with everything ur saying, but those other wars didn't directly affect Lebanon. How long can this country boil while waiting for this side or that side to "win"?

This is not a situation that can just end. What happens to the alliwis? Do u think that if Assad dies the war will end? Soon it won't be about Assad, it's quickly turning into a self-survival issue for the alliwis. And let's not forget the Kurds, who will not easily give up their newly found autonomy, and has already fought battles against the fsa.

Last but not least... Hizballah. Will the new sunni rulers of Syria take revenge? Will Iran stay quiet? And what will happen to the Lebanese ppl stuck in the middle?

That's all I'm saying. I mean if a deal can get this tyrant out of power, and save millions in the process... Im for it. U can't tell me that sending jihadist to wage war is the only way.