Russia and other big powers have agreed to back a proposal by UN envoy¹ Kofi Annan for a national unity² government to lead political change in Syria.

俄罗斯与其它大国同意支持联合国特使科菲·安南提出的在叙利亚建立国民联合政府来 引导政治变化的建议。

Kofi Annan's proposal will be discussed at a meeting of the UN Action Group on Syria on Saturday
Western diplomats⁴ say the proposed cabinet could include members of the opposition⁵ and government, but no-one who would undermine（破坏） its credibility.

While they see President Bashar al-Assad as excluded from the plan, it is not clear if Russia shares that view.

The idea will be discussed on Saturday by the UN Action Group on Syria.

According to an unnamed diplomat³ quoted by Reuters, Mr Annan made clear that any settlement should also be irreversible, with clear transition steps and a fixed⁶ timeline.

"These include establishing a transitional national unity government to create a neutral backdrop for transition," the diplomat said.

"It could comprise present government members, opposition and others, but would need to exclude those whose continued participation⁷ or presence would jeopardise（危及） the transition's credibility, or harm prospects⁸ for reconciliation⁹ and stability."

'Turning point'

The BBC's Barbara Plett, in New York, says that the implication is that Mr Assad would not form part of the government, although this has not been made explicit¹⁰.

Russia has resisted pressure to remove President Assad, saying that his future should be left to the Syrian people alone, and not imposed by outside powers.

In April, following months of bloodshed, the Syrian government agreed to a six-point peace plan.

UN monitors were deployed¹¹ to oversee¹² a ceasefire but the truce¹³ never took hold and the monitors have suspended patrols.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who will attend Saturday's meeting, said that if all the parties agreed to Mr Annan's roadmap for political transition then there was "great hope that this perhaps can be a turning point in the very tragic¹⁴ circumstances affecting the Syrian people".

The proposal will be discussed in Geneva by the five permanent members of the Security Council as well as regional powers Turkey, Iraq, Kuwait and Qatar.

Russia's UN ambassador Vitaly Churkin said Moscow was "looking forward to intensive interaction among the foreign ministers" to push for an end to fighting and a start to political talks.

Our correspondent says that a political transition plan cannot be implemented¹⁵ as long as the violence continues.

On Wednesday, at least seven people were killed during an attack on pro-regime satellite channel al-Ikhbariya TV south of Damascus.

Violence was also reported by opposition activists¹⁶ in the central city of Homs, Deir al-Zour in the east and in Idlib in the north.