The French president once again called on Assad to step down, saying that a transitional government must be set up in Syria to serve everyone’s interests.
“Bashar al-Assad must go. A government of transition must be created. It's in everyone's interests,” Hollande said.
Last week, UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan proposed a transitional government to be set up during a meeting held in Geneva.
The Geneva meeting concluded that a Syrian-led transitional governing body “could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups, and shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent.”

Hollande also pledged that more economic sanctions will be imposed against Damascus. He also called for “the real and effective application of economic sanctions” and greater backing for the opposition.

This is while Russia and China both boycotted the so called ‘Friends of Syria Group’ conference, saying they are against foreign interference in the internal affairs of Syria.
Moscow and Beijing announced that the meeting is one-sided, with Damascus and some important regional players absent from the talks.
Syria has been the scene of protests and violence since March 2011. The Western powers are pushing President Bashar al-Assad to step down.
The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of killing protesters, but Damascus blames “outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorist groups” for the unrest, insisting that it is being orchestrated from abroad.

-PTVN-