London: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad would have no role in a political settlement to Syria`s conflict, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said.
Kerry`s comments came after reports that the US was softening its insistence on Assad`s departure as a precondition for any deal - as demanded by rebels.
According to the BBC, speaking to reporters in Rome, Kerry said Jordan`s Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh would work with the US on ``a transition government by mutual consent of both sides, which clearly means that in our judgement President Assad will not be a component of that transitional government``.
The conference will try to persuade both the Syrian government and opposition to accept a solution based on the final communiqué of a meeting of the UN-backed Action Group for Syria last June.
ANI
