UN proposal for Syria backed by Russia and other world leaders

A proposal by the United Nations envoy Kofi Annan has been backed by Russia and other world leaders for a national unity government in Syria to lead for political transformation.

The proposed cabinet would include members of the opposition and government where authority would not be undermined according to Western diplomats.

It is unclear whether Russia shares the view of Western diplomats in that President Bashar al-Assad should be excluded from the plan which is to be discussed later on Saturday by the UN Action Group on Syria.

Any settlement should be irreversible according to Annan, while transitional steps, including the creation of a national unity government must be made clear according to a fixed timeline.

Diplomats said that the proposed cabinet would have to rule out membership of those whose participation or presence could jeopardise Syria’s reformation.

Russia said Assad’s future should be determined by the Syrian people, not by external forces and has resisted his removal.