Diplomats at the UN Security Council said that the special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura reached an impasse on the issue of freezing the fighting in Aleppo and tends to adopt a new approach.
A Western diplomat said in New York that de Mistura will adopt a top-to-down approach after the down-to-top approach failed to reach a “freeze” of the fighting in Aleppo as a first step towards a political solution.
The diplomat added that the failure of the two warring sides to militarily prevail raises the need to return to a political track, stressing that there is a need to engage part of the regime, excluding Assad, in any political solution.
President Khoja said that the fate of the crumbling Assad regime is now in the hands of his Iranian allies, calling on the conferees to take into consideration the following points before accepting or rejecting any peace initiatives. First, any initiative must engender a comprehensive solution that includes all Syrian territory, not just Aleppo. Second, the Assad regime should not benefit from any initiative. Third, any initiative should not lead to the loss of the revolution’s social base.” (Source: Syrian Coalition + Al-Hayat)
