Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Damascus (Agenzia Fides) - Russia and the United States are getting ready to order a joint ultimatum to President Bashar Assad through the special envoy of the UN and the Arab League, Lakhdar Brahimi, in order for him to leave power "with dignity." According to the news, reported today by the French newspaper "Le Figaro", Washington and Moscow seem to have "exchanged the names" of leaders who could appear in the transitional government.
According to sources interviewed by Fides Agency, the key to understanding the changed attitude of the Russian Government on the Syrian crisis lies in the possibility for Russia to play a role in post-Assad Syria, exploiting the connections created in the past years through the University Lumumba in Moscow, where different Syrian leaders formed. Among these there are also people who will be able to be part of the political leadership in the post-Assad. A confidential source revealed to Fides that one of the highest leaders of the Coalition of Syrian opposition forces is a man with deep ties with Moscow.
As reported to Fides by a member of the Syrian opposition movement "Syrian Non Violent Movement" (SNVM), the realistic political solution could be that "the Assad family leaves Syria and a transitional government is created with representatives of both parties, the government and the opposition coalition, that have not participated in the violence." "National dialogue" advocated by the SNVM, would allow to "establish a necessary cease-fire," with the prospective to "hold free and transparent elections within six months" and "allocate compensation to the families of the dead and wounded" . "The peaceful transition of power to an elected government – concludes the representative - is essential today, to prevent the complete destruction of Syria." (LM/PA) (Agenzia Fides 14/12/2012)
