West accused of misreading Syria conflict

Archbishop Mouneer Anis of Cairo called for Western governments to adopt a more robust attitude towards defeating Islamic State on a visit to London last month, and to accept that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was part of the solution.

He was speaking before US President Barack Obama, the British Prime Minister David Cameron – who demand Assad’s removal – and Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani – Assad allies – held talks or gave addresses at the United Nations in New York this week.

The head of the Anglican Church in North Africa, Archbishop Anis was invited to preach in London by the church of All Souls, Langham Place. He told The Tablet that the US was “stupid” to demand that Mr Assad’s Government play no part in a solution to the country’s four-year civil war, and said he wished the US and Russia would work together for peace. “[Assad] still controls large parts of the country, including the army,” he noted, warning that removing him from the helm would be “like taking the lid off a pressure cooker”.

This week Mr Cameron insisted that Mr Assad “can’t be part of the solution”, but admitted that there may have to be a transition period when he stayed in power. He had talks with Mr Rouhani, who said it was essential that the regime stayed in place.

“We must recognise that there cannot be, after so much bloodshed, a return to the pre-war status quo,” Mr Obama said. Mr Putin said it was an “enormous mistake to refuse to cooperate with the Syrian Government and its armed forces who are valiantly fighting terrorism face-to-face”.