Time to move on Syria

There are other avenues that must be pursued, including negotiating with Russia and China, and continuing to strengthen sanctions.

The key is unrelenting international pressure on the regime until this violence stops.

The stakes are high indeed and that is why Russia and China must act in support of the efforts to end the cycle of violence and allow the Syrian people to peacefully express their desire for greater freedom and a better way of life than possibly be realised under Assad and his cronies.

While the international community continues to put pressure on the regime to halt the cycle of violence, President Assad can put an immediate halt to the bloodshed by ordering his security forces and the Syrian military to stop shooting.

The time has come for Assad to step aside and allow for the formation of an elected civilian government.