new york unite state britain countries oppose syrian president bashar al-assad support reconstruction country political transition away assad british foreign secretary boris johnson say monday friends syria group alliance mainly western gulf arab countries meet new york monday sideline u.n. general assembly time conflict syria seventh year appear less urgent attention focus north korean nuclear threat fate iran nuclear deal believe way forward get political process go make clear iranians russians assad regime like-minded group support reconstruction syria political process mean resolution 2254 say transition away assad johnson say speak meet 14 countries back syrian opposition include france saudi arabia turkey unite state u.n. security council adopt syria transition road map geneva-led process russia join war assad behalf 2015 turn momentum favor assad also enjoy robust support iran lebanon hezbollah meanwhile moderate syrian opposition moribund unite state largely step back lead role syrian diplomacy early year trump administration also halt cia covert program equip train certain rebel group fight assad act assistant secretary state near eastern affairs david satterfield say meet agree get political process international participation reconstruction syria regime regime supporters declare victory solely base map color position grind satterfield say reconstruction syria depend much credible political process political process focus geneva role unite nations meet monday stark contrast last year take place ceasefire deal unite state russia effectively collapse aid convoy bomb aleppo syria large city aleppo hand assad force assad much strong position thank russian iranian support last major international attempt resolve crisis end failure international syria support group issg include iran cast aside syrian government force retake rebel stronghold aleppo 2016. russia turkey iran negotiate separately months astana try reduce violence grind create de-escalation zone across country although talk cover long-term political solution discuss bring back u.n.-led process geneva swedish foreign minister margot wallström tell reuters ask consensus say would say so good astana process lead de-escalation reduction violence lead political process early monday france warn status quo syria risk lead country permanent fragmentation open door new radical islamist group foreign minister jean-yves le drian tell reporters new york would hold meet four permanent members security council britain china russia unite state thursday persuade create contact group give new impetus end seven-year conflict le drian say realism dictate assad could stay power millions syrians flee country due war vital major power work together help revive u.n.-brokered peace talk geneva dutch foreign minister bert koenders say french contact group proposal discuss friends syria meet riyad hijab prominent syrian opposition leader say tell french president emmanuel macron initiative important part american withdrawal russia dominate entire process mr. macron initiative right way fix vital five permanent security council members involve process anti-assad nations say syria reconstruction political process track