France's foreign minister said on Friday he wanted major powers to agree on a transition calendar that would be imposed on Syrians, but ruled out any role for President Bashar Al Assad, who he said had "murdered" part of his population.

Jean-Yves Le Drian's comments come despite what has appeared to be a softening in Paris' position since the arrival of President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron's election victory gave Paris, which is a key backer of the Syrian opposition and the second-largest contributor to the US-led coalition fighting Daesh, a chance to re-examine its policy in the country. The change proposed by Macron was to drop demands Assad step down as a pre-condition for talks, although French officials still insist he cannot be the long-term future for Syria.

But Le Drian, who was defence minister under former president Francois Hollande, said the situation had changed because Daesh militants were on the verge of defeat.

The focus now, he said, could turn to resolving the six-year civil war that has killed more than 300,000 and led millions of people to flee the country.

"He (Assad) cannot be part of the solution. The solution is to find with all the actors a calendar with a political transition that will enable a new constitution and elections" Le Drian told RTL radio. "This transition cannot be done with Bashar Al Assad who murdered part of his population and who has led millions of Syrians to leave their territory." Critics of the previous French administration blasted it for remaining intransigent on the future of Assad, although it had eventually said that Assad would have to leave only once a transition process was complete.

That position has also put it at odds with Russia and Iran, both backers of Assad, who say it is for the Syrian people to decide on their future.

Source: Khaleej Times