The Slatest

An Unwinnable War? Syrian Government Says Its Ready for a Ceasefire

Rebel fighters hold a position on a front line in the Damascus suburb of Yalda on September 18, 2013 in Syria.

Photo by WARD AL-KESWANI/AFP/Getty Images

As the debate continues on next steps in confronting chemical weapons use in Syria, the years long civil war, which has taken the lives of more than 100,000 people, has reached a stalemate.

That’s according to Syria’s deputy prime minister, who, speaking on behalf of the Syrian government, told the Guardian in an interview: “Neither the armed opposition nor the regime is capable of defeating the other side.” The Syrian government will push for a ceasefire at the next Geneva conference on the country’s future, and, if accepted by the opposition, international monitors or UN peacekeepers would be allowed to monitor the agreement, the Guardian reports.

Syria’s armed opposition has repeatedly refused to negotiate at a second Geneva conference unless Syrian President Bashar al-Assad resigns first.

Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil also said the war had taken a devastating toll on the Syrian economy, costing the country $100 billion during the conflict.