World powers disagree on Assad’s fate at NY talks

The council will meet in NY on Friday at 4pm (9pm GMT) and is expected to accept the text, which will set out a timetable for talks between the Syrian government and opposition, with a start date of early January.

The UN resolution endorsing a political transition to end Syria’s war, which was drafted by the United States and Russian Federation, passed in NY on December 18.

The UN Security Council has endorsed an global plan for a political peace process in Syria, calling on UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s office to facilitate peace talks starting in January.

“The truth is that nothing would do more to bolster the fight against the terrorists than a broadly supported diplomatic process that gives the Syrian people a real choice – not a choice between President Bashar Assad or Daesh, but between war and peace, between the violent extremes and a newly empowered political center”, Kerry said.

The plan outlined by US Secretary of State John Kerry aims to put into place a transitional government within six months and have elections within a year and a half.

“The resolution embodies the broad consensus of the worldwide community, demonstrates the important role of the council, reflects the keen aspiration of the Syrian people and injects fresh impetus to politically solve the Syrian issue”, Wang said.

The resolution does not make any mention of whether Assad would be able to run in new elections.

The lawlessness in much of Syria and neighboring Iraq has supplied the Islamic militants with a vast area to operate. “This is the first time that the UN [Security] Council adopts a resolution unanimously”, Al-Malek said.

“As the Government and opposition delegations are getting ready, the United Nations stands ready to relaunch intra-Syrian talks.” he added calling for full participation of women in the talks. It is expected to bring a rapid ceasefire in the conflict and bring the two forces to the negotiating table to begin peace talks from the next month. “It is necessary that the Syrians agree on an alternative leadership of the country”, the secretary of state said, as he believes that Assad has lost all credibility and can not unite the country and does not have the moral authority to manage it in the future. Kerry did not hide that sharp differences remain about what the future of Syria would look like.

During a break in Friday’s talks, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said he had presented a document compiling the groups each country attending considered to be a “terrorist” organization.

Western officials say a recent meeting in Saudi Arabia of opposition figures made significant headway in coming up with an opposition bloc, though Russian Federation and Iran have questioned the legitimacy of the Saudi-hosted discussions.

But Syria’s United Nations ambassador Bashar Jaafari said there was a “glaring contradiction” between outside countries talking about letting Syrians decide their future yet also insisting on replacing Mr Assad.