[Guardian] Syria has rejected a British proposal that Bashar al-Assad could lead a transitional government for up to six months before stepping down. The idea of a transitional government was mentioned in the 2012 Geneva principles for ending the war, but this was the first time a time-period had been mentioned. In a sign of intensifying diplomatic activity, British foreign secretary Philip Hammond on Wednesday said the UK would take a pragmatic approach. He said, "We are not saying Assad and all his cronies have to go on day one."
Syrian information minister Omran al-Zoubi asked, "What gives the British foreign secretary the right to decide for Syrians how long their president should stay in power?"
Zoubi said Britain was following "irrational and illogical" policies by attacking the only country seriously fighting Daesh and urging its leader to step down. He said, "We will not allow Syria to become an extremist emirate. It will not be another Saudi Arabia," describing the kingdom as "the General Motors of terrorism [which] exports it to the rest of the world" and as the perpetrator of the September 11 attacks on the US.
Qatar and other "backward and demented" Gulf states, and Turkey, were all supporting Daesh, Zoubi said. "Is it credible that a member of NATO is part of the system of terrorism in the region?"