George Sabra

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published March 30 that Syria needs a national unity government that would secure the transition to a new constitution, rejecting the "transitional body" demanded by the opposition, which wants him to step down.

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Jan. 18 that it was not yet possible to confirm that a planned U.N.-organized Jan. 25 peace meeting on Syria would take place involving the Syrian government and opposition, saying that it was up to the United Nations to confirm it. 

Any peace plan for Syria allowing President Bashar al-Assad to stand in early elections after a transition period would be "mad" because he is the root of the problem and holding a nationwide poll is impossible, a Syrian opposition figure said. 

The commander of a rebel group fighting on the ground echoed the comment.