'No solution in Syria unless Assad steps down'

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas has said Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should not be part of the solution to Syrian conflict.

On Monday, Steffen Seibert, the official spokesperson for Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU), also said that a "long-term solution" to the Syrian conflict was "only possible without Assad", Xinhua news agency reported.

The hawkish comments by senior German politicians on Monday come despite Berlin's refusal to participate in US-led airstrikes in response to reports of alleged chemical assault on the town of Douma.

On Saturday, the US, France and Britain launched missile strikes on Syrian military positions in retaliation for the alleged chemical attack, without waiting for the results of the investigation.

The Syrian government side denied the accusations, accusing the rebels of staging and fabricating the attack to frame the Syrian army and attract foreign military campaign.

--IANS

pgh/