Russia Says Syria’s Assad Hasn’t Responded to Peace Efforts
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad hasn’t responded to efforts to promote a peaceful solution to 10-month-old unrest, said a Kremlin envoy, Mikhail Margelov.
Russia is losing confidence in the possibility of a negotiated outcome in Syria, “because we don’t see any willingness, either from the authorities or the protesters, to reach an agreement,” Margelov said today in a phone interview.
Russia in October blocked a bid by the European Union and U.S. for the United Nations Security Council to condemn the crackdown in Syria, arguing that Assad was seeking to implement political changes.
Margelov, a special envoy who traveled to Libya last year in a bid to negotiate Muammar Qaddafi’s departure and has offered to mediate between the Syrian government and opposition, said Russia hasn’t received a “clear, positive response” from Assad.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-24/russia-says-syria-s-assad-hasn-t-responded-to-peace-efforts.html