Assad could 'still be there' after Syria conflict

The former secretary general of the Arab League, Amr Moussa, now an opposition leader in Egypt, spoke to the Today programme about what countries outside the middle east can do about the situation in Syria.

Mr Moussa said that there is a lot the world can do regarding the humanitarian aspects of the conflict, but when it comes to political intervention Mr Moussa said that "the time has come for the Security Council to intervene". He said that the best thing that the west can do is to "manage the problem rather than to solve the problem".

On Syria's future Mr Moussa told the Today programme's James Naughtie that President Assad could "still be there" after the conflict has ended, and thinks that Assad could run in the presidential election due to be held in 2014.

First broadcast on the Today programme on Saturday 22 June.