Syrian official says "war has reached stalemate"

LONDON Syrian Deputy PM Qadri Jamil has told the the Guardian newspaper that the war in Syria has reached a stalemate and that the government may seek a truce. Jamil also stated that the Syrian authorities would present their proposal on a ceasefire during the peace conference on Syria in Geneva. Syrian official says "war has reached stalemate" “Neither the armed opposition nor the regime is capable of defeating the other side. This zero balance of forces will not change for a while," he was quoted as saying. Jamil stressed that in case an agreement on a ceasefire were reached, "it would have to be kept under international observation," which could be provided in the field by monitors or UN peacekeepers, "as long as they came from neutral or friendly countries." The minister told the daily that during the planned peace conference, the so-called Geneva 2, the government in Damascus will seek an end to external intervention, a ceasefire and the launching of a peaceful political process in a way that the Syrian people can enjoy self-determination without outside intervention and in a democratic way. But the holding of the conference is still uncertain. The Guardian notes that a part of the Syrian opposition have repeatedly refuse to take part unless Syrian President Assad first resigns. Qadri Jamil (Beta/AP) Guardian, Itar-Tass

Syrian official says "war has reached stalemate"

“Neither the armed opposition nor the regime is capable of defeating the other side. This zero balance of forces will not change for a while," he was quoted as saying.

Jamil stressed that in case an agreement on a ceasefire were reached, "it would have to be kept under international observation," which could be provided in the field by monitors or UN peacekeepers, "as long as they came from neutral or friendly countries."

The minister told the daily that during the planned peace conference, the so-called Geneva 2, the government in Damascus will seek an end to external intervention, a ceasefire and the launching of a peaceful political process in a way that the Syrian people can enjoy self-determination without outside intervention and in a democratic way.

But the holding of the conference is still uncertain. The Guardian notes that a part of the Syrian opposition have repeatedly refuse to take part unless Syrian President Assad first resigns.