Syrian opp’n to unveil political plan before London meeting

“At the end of the day, it’s going to depend upon whether Russian Federation does what it said it was going to do when it came into Syria, which is fight terrorism and support a political transition that brings an end to the Syrian civil war”.

Turkish officials said Wednesday that about 300 Syrian civilians were returning home to Jarablus following a Turkish-backed incursion into northern Syria.

Hijab said the greatest challenge in achieving political transition came from the outside powers, pointing the finger at Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, other regional militias, and above all, Russian Federation for protecting Assad.

The new Syrian blueprint may also persuade Hillary Clinton it is worth investing political capital in seeking a solution in Syria, and not to dismiss the five-year civil war as a battle between two equally unsavoury anti-democratic forces.

A former Syrian official, who is still close to the government, said “there was no pressure on the regime to accept this proposal”, which he described as a “tactical ploy” by the opposition.

The High Negotiations Committee (HNC) proposed a six- month negotiations with President Bashar al-Assad, accompanied by a full ceasefire, the BBC reports.

The High Negotiations Committee, the main Syrian opposition group at stalled United Nations -mediated peace talks, will propose a gradual transition, starting with six months of negotiations accompanied by a total ceasefire and full humanitarian access.

“What Mr Lavrov has put on the table about Assad will not solve the problem”, Hijab said, accusing Moscow of using proscribed weapons to shore up Assad’s regime.

Deputy State Department Spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday that the USA wanted to put the finishing touches on the deal, but added that while progress had been made, gaps remain.

In a newspaper article published on Wednesday, Britain’s foreign secretary Boris Johnson urged Russian Federation to stop supporting the “barbaric military tactics” of Assad – a stance which he labelled “seemingly indefensible” on Moscow’s part.

Boris Johnson, Britain’s foreign secretary, who hosted the HNC talks in London, said there was “still a chance” the opposition’s proposal “can be made to work”. They state: “The establishment of the Transitional Governing Body shall require the departure of Bashar al-Assad and his clique who committed heinous crimes against the Syrian people”, with the goal of “building a political system that protects freedoms, safeguards individual rights, and that is founded upon the principles of liberty, equality, citizenship, and justice”.

Adel al-Jubeir, the foreign minister of Saudi Arabia, the primary rival of Iran, said Tuesday in London a cease-fire accord was possible within 24 hours, but cautioned that Assad is unlikely to abide by any agreement.

Activists and rescuers said at least 70 people were treated for breathing difficulties after government helicopters dropped the suspected chlorine cylinders on al-Sukkari neighborhood. Hijab conceded there were formidable obstacles hindering the implementation of this plan.

Phillips says the USA has been hoodwinked by Russian Federation. The fact that two of the most effective US allies are fighting each other should give Barack Obama and any incoming American administration pause.

Erdogan says: “Obama wants to do some things jointly concerning Raqqa”.

Meanwhile, the U.N.’s humanitarian agency said the fighting in central Hama province has displaced 100,000 people in eight days between late August and early September.