Lavrov: Annan's Syria plan still in progress
The new Syrian solution designed by UN envoy Kofi Annan proposes the government including both Assad supporters and the opposition. Despite western reports claiming Russian support for the plan, Moscow refused to comment on the issue.
The outline of the plan was sent by Kofi Annan to the participants of this weekends meeting in Geneva. Diplomatic sources talking to Reuters summarized the proposal explaining that the conflict could only end when all sides see a common way to a shared future. Annan stressed it was “vital that [any] settlement [be] irreversible, [with] clear transition steps in a fixed timeline.”“These include establishing a transitional national unity government to create a neutral backdrop for transition,” the diplomat said. “It could comprise the present government members, opposition and others, but would need to exclude those who’s continued participation or presence would jeopardize the transition's credibility, or harm prospects for reconciliation and stability.”Although Annan's plan does not specify who exactly would be excluded from the prospective government, the diplomat added that this idea was clearly referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.Reuters’ source also states that the Russians “signalled to Annan that they accept his transition plan,” while several Western diplomats confirmed these remarks. Moreover, all five veto-wielding members of the UN Security Council have reportedly backed the proposal.However, Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has not confirmed the reports.“There are no approved projects, the work on the possible final document is in progress,” he said at a press conference in Moscow on Thursday.“The fact that some separate ideas suggested for the project of the final document by some countries were leaked into the press, I consider a negligent approach to diplomacy,” he added.On Saturday the United States, Britain, France, Russia, China, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar will attend the conference in Geneva to discuss a political transition in Syria. Saudi Arabia and Iran, although, have been mentioned as possible participants will not be present at the meeting.
