Britain and France on Wednesday said there could be no political transition in Syria with President Bashar al-Assad and urged Russia to stop backing its traditional ally. The comments by British Foreign Secretary William Hague and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius came after world powers agreed in Geneva on Saturday on a plan for transition in Syria. Although it did not make an explicit call for Assad to quit, the West said the plan made clear there was no role for him in a unity government. “Russia must understand that the situation in Syria is heading towards collapse,” Hague said at a joint news conference in Paris with Fabius. “Even if President Assad had a free hand in committing as many crimes, he will not be able to control the situation in Syria,” Hague said. “There is no point in anyone standing by the Assad regime, this is a failed and doomed regime.” Fabius underscored that “our Russian colleagues must understand that by backing a condemned regime… they risk losing the influence they have in this part of the world”. “We are working towards extending sanctions,” Fabius said. “We know that we must extend all possible pressure on the bloody regime of Bashar al-Assad.”
