World Bulletin / News Desk

Peace in Syria requires the consent of the people but the Bashar al-Assad regime cannot purchase people’s consent through killing them, outgoing U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday.

Speaking at a joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin, Obama expressed determination to continue supporting a democratic transition in Syria, but did not sound optimistic about a political solution in the immediate future.

“It would be naive of me to suggest that there is going to be a sudden, 180-degree turn in policy by either Assad or Russia, or Iran at this point,” he told reporters.

“But we are going to continue to make the argument. We are going to continue to try to find humanitarian steps that can reach the people there. We are going to continue to try to obtain cessations of hostilities that lessen the human tragedy,” Obama said.

Obama criticized Russia for providing military support to the Assad regime, which he accused of using “barbarous tactics” to crush the Syrian opposition, and for indiscriminately bombing cities controlled by rebel forces.

“But ultimately the way this is going to be resolved is going to have to be a recognition by Russia and [a] willingness to pressure Assad that a lasting, durable peace with a functioning country requires the consent of the people. You cannot purchase people’s consent by killing them,” he said.

The Obama administration has long supported moderate opposition forces in Syria but refrained from direct military intervention to avoid a long and costly ground war.