The Western demand that Syria's Assad must step down is irresponsible and has resulted in millions of refugees, UN chief Ban Ki-moon said.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned Western countries' demand that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad step down�before any resolution to�the Syrian conflict can be made, in�an interview to�Spanish newspapers published on�Saturday.

Ban came out�in support of�the Russian position to�solve the Syrian crisis, in�which Assad's future is determined in�elections. Ban also noted that stalling by�Western countries, which insist that Assad cannot be part of�the transition process or future election, has led to�hundreds of�thousands of�deaths and millions of�refugees due to�delays in�negotiations.

"The future of�President Assad must be decided by�the Syrian people. It is totally unfair and unreasonable one person takes the whole political negotiation process hostage," Ban told El Mundo.

The US softened its stance on�Assad remaining in�power through�the transitional period briefly before�the negotiations. It does maintain that Assad cannot take part in�elections afterwards as�a precondition to�further negotiations.

"The Syrian government insists that President Assad should be part of [the transitional government]; many countries, particularly the West, say that there is no place for�him," Ban said.

"Because of�this we have lost three years, with�more than�250,000 dead, more than�13 million people, over�half of�the population, is displaced inside�Syria in�urgent need of�humanitarian aid, more than�50% of�hospitals, schools and infrastructure have been destroyed," he added.

Syrian conflict talks in�Vienna concluded on�Friday with�a tentative agreement on�a ceasefire and a transitional government, although further agreements are stalled because of�disagreements over�the Syrian president's fate.

US Predicts Quagmire, Sends Troops In

After the US sent ground forces to�aid Syrian rebels, Deputy Secretary of�State Antony Blinken said that Russia's own operation, which does not involve sending ground forces would become a "quagmire."

"The quagmire will spread and deepen, drawing Russia further in. Russia will be seen as�being in�league with�Assad, Hezbollah, Iran, alienating millions of�Sunnis in�Syria, the region and indeed in�Russia itself," Blinken said at�a summit in�Bahrain, quoted by�Reuters.

Blinken then said that the "quagmire" would lead Russia to�reject a military solution to�the crisis, although Russia has consistently said it only sees a political solution as�viable in�Syria.

The agreement to�hold negotiations in�Vienna was made after�Russia began its airstrike campaign against�terrorist targets in�Syria.

On Friday, the US announced plans to�send ground troops into�Syria during�the Vienna talks, in�what appears to�be a bargaining chip in�the negotiations.

"It's definitely meant to�send a message that we're upping the game inside�Syria, that we're absolutely serious about�going after�ISIL and that we're not going to�be dissuaded by�any efforts to�prop up�Assad," a White House official told Reuters on�condition of�anonymity.

US officials previously accused Russia of�not making a serious commitment. US Director of�National Intelligence James Clapper told CNN that he considers Russia's operation in�Syria "very impulsive and opportunistic." The statement was made shortly before�the US announced its troop deployment to�Syria during�the Vienna peace talks.
By Sputnik News