U.S. to Continue Pressing for Assad’s Resignation

Deraa, Syriaㅡ Citizens protest against President Bashar al-Assad. (photo=Reuters/Newsis)

The United States will continue its efforts to make Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down, the country’s envoy to the UN, Susan Rice, said.

“The United States remains focused on increasing the pressure on the al-Assad regime and on al-Assad himself to step down,” she said, adding that it was a legitimate aspiration of all Syrian people.

She said al-Assad’s resignation will be in line with the six-point plan by UN and Arab League special envoy Kofi Annan, because the plan envisages democratization of the country’s political system, which should eventually result in the incumbent government’s resignation.

“It is plain that the Syrian regime has not implemented fully any of the six points,” Rice added.

According to western media reports, Annan was pessimistic during the video linkup with the UN Security Council on Tuesday night, saying the Syrian authorities were not complying with the ceasefire terms, mass arrests continue and the Syrian army fires heavy artillery at civilians.

A diplomatic source told AFP that Annan is set to visit Syria in the next few days. The exact date of his visit was not disclosed.

More than 9,000 people have been killed in Syria since the outbreak of the popular uprising against President Bashar al-Assad in March, 2011, the UN said.

Moscow has twice vetoed UN Security Council resolutions over what it called a pro-rebel bias since the start of the uprising against Assad, but has given its full backing to Annan’s peace plan. <Cihan>

news@theasian.asia