Russia Backs Annan Proposal for Establishing Syria Unity Government- Report

Russia will support a proposal by Kofi Annan to have the government and opposition in Syria to form a government of national unity, Reuters reported. Annan, the international mediator for Syria, will formally present his proposal at a Syria contact group meeting in Geneva on Saturday. The group, put together by Annan in the past few days, will consist of the five permanent members of the Security Council, Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar. It will not include Iran or Saudi Arabia.

Annan idea includes establishing a transitional national unity government with clear and irreversible transition in fixed timeline, the report said. (Reuters, 27 June).

"(The transitional government) could comprise present government members, opposition and others, but would need to exclude those whose continued participation or presence would jeopardize the transition's credibility, or harm prospects for reconciliation and stability," a senior diplomat with the knowledge of the proposed plan told Reuters. The idea of excluding certain people was clearly referring to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, the diplomat added.

All the five permanent members of the Security Council will reportedly back the plan.