German official: No peace in Syria with Assad

German government spokesman Steffen Siebert said it was not possible to reach a lasting peace solution in Syria if President Bashar Al-Assad remained in power.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin yesterday, he said the German government believes that Al-Assad is primarily responsible for the war in Syria and death of about 300,000 people and more than five million people who had been forced to flee their country.

The use of chemical weapons, explosive barrels and cluster bombs has been proven, as well as the intentional bombing of medical institutions and without the support from his well-known international allies, he would not have been able to continue his actions against his people.

Siebert added that the Assad regime has not yet shown any willingness to participate in the political process, but on the contrary it still dependents on the military method, stressing on the need to put an end to it.

A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry Martin Schaeffer said that Russia and Iran should persuade the Assad regime to stop the use of chemical weapons.