...Capital of the last remaining Baathist regime in the world...
and gave a guarded response to an offer by an opposition leader for talks with government figures.
"It is worthy of note," Brahimi said of a statement by Syrian National Council leader Moaz al-Khatib that he was "ready for direct discussions" outside of Syria.
But the U.N.-Arab League
...an organization of Arabic-speaking states with 22 member countries and four observers. The League tries to achieve Arab consensus on issues, which usually leaves them doing nothing but a bit of grimacing and mustache cursing...
envoy said the reaction of the government and other opposition figures would be crucial.
U.N. leader the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon
... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
also welcomed the offer by Khatib but said the conflict levels are already "intolerable."
Brahimi and diplomats have noted that Khatib has set major conditions such as the release of 160,000 detainees held by Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad;s
Before going into the family business Pencilneck was an eye doctor. If he'd stuck with it he'd have had a good practice by now...
forces.
Amid general gloom about prospects for a negotiated end to the escalating 22-month old war, Brahimi said he would not return to Syria unless developments change.
"If I go to Syria, it's because there is something that I need to do," he told the U.N. News Service.
Brahimi this week urged the U.N. Security Council to end its wrangling over Syria and unite to force talks to end the conflict which the U.N. says has left more than 60,000 dead.
The veteran envoy said that political talks had to be pursued as the fighting worsens.
"Our efforts at starting negotiation have not been very successful. But the military campaigns have not been successful either in finishing the conflict," he told the U.N. agency.
"Nobody has said it's going to be easy," he added. "But perhaps negotiating is better than killing each other."