"There has never been a government run by five vice presidents and there never will be," Black said on Friday. "The proposal is foolish, it’s deceitful, and it is designed to collapse the Syrian government."
The division of power would leave the Syrian government "in total chaos," Black asserted, adding that "clearly this is their objective."
Under the proposed transition, Assad would be a "figurehead," divested of power, leaving the Syrian Army without leadership and the Syrian people "defenseless," Black argued.
Though Assad is not recognized by numerous foreign governments, he maintains control over the majority of Syrian territory with a greater margin of popular support than any of the largely foreign-backed opposition groups.
Saudi Arabia and Turkey both have a stake in choosing representation for a Syrian transitional government comprised of five vice presidents, Richard Black told Sputnik.
"Somehow Saudi Arabia and Turkey are going to come along and say, ‘We are going to select two vice presidents for Syria,’ and put them in charge," Black said of two of the five deputies proposed for a Syrian transitional government. "And you know they are going to be put in place by the Turks and the Saudis."
Black went on to describe the Saudi and Turkish-backed elements in Syria as "terrorist," and responsible for the recent massacre of Syrian civilians "under the guise of the ceasefire."
Prior to speaking with Sputnik, Black discussed the proposal this week with a high-level Syrian official and maintains contact with individuals from the Assad government.
