WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — On Thursday, the Syrian opposition’s Moscow platform proposed to appoint five vice presidents as deputies to Assad for transitional government arrangement. The proposal allegedly received a positive response from UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura.
"Until you change the facts on the ground, that dynamic, I am just not seeing much of a peaceful solution that would include a transitional government," Johnson said on Thursday when asked about the recent opposition proposal.
Conditions on the ground in Syria appear to show that Assad "if anything, is consolidating his power," he said.
Johnson, who was unaware of the specific opposition proposal, stated broadly, "We could all hope and pray for a diplomatic and peaceful solution to this, but let’s face it, diplomacy follows facts on the ground."
At the March Syrian proximity talks, the negotiating sides reaffirmed the commitment to produce a draft constitution, including a framework for a government transition, by August of this year.
United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254, agreed to unanimously in December 2015, established an 18-month road map for government transition. The process aims to advance the resolution of the 5 year long Syrian civil war.
