Turkey opposed US-approved al-Assad transition in Syria

ISTANBUL

REUTERS Photo

Turkey opposed a U.S.-Russia joint plan overseeing a possible transition process with Bashar al-Assad in charge, according to daily Hürriyet.
 
Peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi recently proposed a plan jointly prepared by Russian and U.S. officials with two options, one of which outlined a transition process to democratic elections with al-Assad in charge. The option, however, requires al-Assad not to run as a candidate in the elections.
 
The second option called for al-Assad to leave the country and allow a mixed opposition-government team to lead the country to the next election.
 
Al-Assad's response to such plans remains unknown, but Turkish sources have told daily Hürriyet that no such plans would receive Turkey's approval.
 
Turkey believes a transition process with al-Assad is no longer possible, diplomatic sources said.