Vienna talks on Syria end without decision on fate of Assad

Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said multi-lateral talks on Friday on the Syrian crisis had failed to reach agreement over the fate of president Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking after the talks in Vienna, Mr Lavrov said he believed "the Syrian people should decide Assad's fate". He added that he hoped for further compromises to end the four year civil war in Syria.

Russia and Iran are Mr Assad's main backers, while the United States, its Gulf Arab allies and Turkey say he must step down.

The talks ended with participants directing the UN to begin a new diplomatic process with Syria’s government and opposition with the goal of reaching a nationwide ceasefire and political transition.

US secretary of state John Kerry made the announcement at a joint news conference with Mr Lavrov and the UN envoy to Syria, Staffan de Mistura.

Mr Kerry made no declarations about the future of Mr Assad. He said the UN-led process should lead to a new constitution for Syria and internationally supervised elections.

The talks in Vienna came as a barrage of missiles slammed into a crowded suburb of the Syrian capital, killing at least 45 people.

Iran earlier signalled that it favoured a six-month “transition” period in Syria followed by elections to decide the fate of Mr Assad, an apparent concession ahead of the first peace conference Tehran was permitted to attend.

Mr Assad‘s government held an election as recently as last year, which he easily won.

His opponents have always rejected any proposal for a transition unless he is removed from power and barred from standing in any election that followed.

Nevertheless, a commitment to a defined time limit for a transition would amount to an important new undertaking by Mr Assad’s closest ally, providing a potential basis for future diplomacy at a time when Mr Assad’s position has been strengthened by Russia‘s decision to join the war on his side.

“Iran does not insist on keeping Assad in power forever,“ Iranian deputy foreign minister Amir Abdollahian, a member of Tehran‘s delegation at the Syria talks on Friday, was quoted by Iranian media as saying.

A senior official from the Middle East familiar with the Iranian position said that could go as far as ending support for Assad after the transition period.

“Talks are all about compromises and Iran is ready to make a compromise by accepting Assad remaining for six months,“ the official said.

“Of course, it will be up to the Syrian people to decide about the country‘s fate.”

Agencies