U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said it’s unlikely the Syrian government “immediately wakes up and stops the killing” and follows the Kofi Annan-led U.N. peace negotiation. Calling it the most desirable outcome of continued negotiations with the government which is is violently battling with rebel forces, it’s also not the “most likely” scenario, Rice said while speaking with Andrea Mitchell on her show on MSNBC Wednesday.
The worst case scenario would be an intensified round of violence that spreads in the region, said Rice, who had just left a U.N. Security Council session.
Next steps include working with the U.N. and the international community to exert additional pressure on President Bashar al-Assad’s government, she said. “We think that’s another way to preserve the viability of the Annan plan,” Rice said.
Today, the U.S. added new sanctions against a Syrian bank.
Rice disputed criticism of the Annan peace plan, saying, “the alternative is the scenario I described of all-out violence.”
“If there’s a way to avoid that through a political process, that should be something we all work for and try to accomplish,” Rice said.
A Washington Post editorial called the Annan plan "one of the most costly diplomatic failures in U.N. history."
Noting that the U.S. believes “Iran is actively supporting its longtime-ally Assad and providing material and other support,” Rice called this “a conflict of a different character with much broader regional implications should it continue to spin out of control.”
She once again called upon Russian President Vladimir Putin to sever its support to Syria during the conflict.
“We’d like to see them make a voluntary decision to stop providing military support…to the Syrian regime,” Rice said, adding that the U.S. continues to “pressure” Russia to help work toward a peaceful solution.
She called the U.S.-Russia relationship “much improved” in recent years despite this disagreement.
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If it will happen let's make it happen now...
This is outrageous that the killings in Syria is being allowed by the world to continue. Where is the humanity is us? The US who is suppose to be the leader of the world continues to do nothing, blaming the Russian and Chinese for inaction. There are a lot of other things we can do without the two evils permission. We can create a safe no-fly zone at the Turkish border. We can arm the opposition so they can protect themselves. We should do what we can, otherwise we are as guilty as Assad in these killings.
The fact are everything going on in Syria and else where is within an economic content, class struggle and domination by major powers; is a process.