France repeated its position on Friday that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad must step down as part of any political transition aimed at finding a solution to the Syrian conflict. French Foreign Ministry spokesman Romain Nadal reiterated the French position after UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura said that Al-Assad “is part of the solution” and he would continue to hold important talks with the Syrian leader as he remains the President of his country.
“The Geneva statement, under the aegis of the United Nations, set out the objective of putting in place a transitional authority with full executive competence. There will be no transition without the departure of Bashar Al-Assad,” Nadal affirmed.
Vice-President Hisham Marwa said that de Mistura’s remarks “aim to appease Assad on the expense of unswerving political principles and contravene the legal implications of the Geneva II declaration and the international interpretation of it.”
Marwa stresses that de Mistura’s interpretation of the Geneva declaration is not viable; pointing to the fact that Assad is involved in war crimes and genocide, so there is no solution in Syria without his departure.”
“We hope that de Mistura maintain his role as a neutral and honest mediator and to keep away from political interpretations that might be rejected by the Syrian Coalition the Friends of the Syrian people,” Marwa added.
Marwa warns of attempts by Iran and Russia to produce political opposition that is willing to agree to Assad’s staying in power. (Source: Syrian Coalition + Al Sharq al-Awsat + Al Jazeera)
