Baghdad: 'Silly Ibrahimi!'

[Azzaman] "...Izzat Shabandar, an MP from the State of Law Coalition headed by Maliki, told Azzaman yesterday [Oct. 14] that Brahimi expressed to Maliki — whom he met yesterday in Baghdad — his conviction of the need for change rather than reform in Syria. He also told Maliki that President Bashar al-Assad has now been removed from the change equation and that change [must be achieved] through dialogue, not fighting.According to Shabandar, Maliki responded to Brahimi by saying that dialogue without Assad would mean preparing for the post-Assad era, and would thus be a one-sided dialogue, [almost] equivalent to no dialogue.
Shabandar said that Brahimi listened silently to Maliki’s point of view and made no comment on the issue. He quoted Brahimi as having told Maliki that he will ask both sides to stop fighting during the [Muslim holiday of] Eid al-Adha, especially given the fact that both parties are not opposed to the idea, but stipulate that the other take the initiative. ..."