[00:12.14]Speaking to the Guardian newspaper, Qadri Jamil said neither the government forces nor the rebels were capable of defeating the other side.
[00:19.65]More details from Jim Muir in Beirut.
[00:22.82]“This was (an) unusual talk from a senior government figure, albeit one who is not a hard-core Baath Party loyalist.
[00:29.60]In fact, Qadri Jamil is a former communist, his party took part in demonstrations against the regime at the beginning of the uprising two and half years ago.
[00:38.21]But in his interview with the Guardian, he insisted that he was speaking for the government.
[00:43.77]“It realized”, he said, “that neither side could win the war for the time being, there was a stalemate.”
[00:49.01]That in itself front countered to the normal government line that the rebels labeled terrorist must be defeated.”
[00:55.48]The American Secretary of State John Kerry has said that the UN Security Council must be prepared to act on Syria by drawing up a binding resolution next week.
[01:05.00]He insisted the facts concerning the use of chemical weapons in the attack of August 21 were beyond dispute and it was implausible to think that opposition rebels were responsible.
[01:15.74]Mr. Kerry said there was no time for any more disputes or to pretend that everyone could have their own set of facts.
[01:22.58]It is vital for the international community to stand up and speak out in the strongest possible terms about the importance of enforceable action to rid the world of Syria's chemical weapons.