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Press TV has conducted an interview with Bill Jones, Executive Intelligence Review, from Leesburg, about the situation in Syria.

- Based on what the Syrian President says, it seems there is no hope for a political solution to the crisis in Syria. So how do you think the situation will evolve?

- Well, obviously there’s no pressure coming from the United States’ side or from that of the European countries to try to bring about negotiations that would’ve had to have been much more pressure put on the opposition to get them to come to the table, and there’s been a reluctance to do that.

In addition, you have the forces here in the United States, Britain and elsewhere who really want the opposition to overthrow Bashar al-Assad. In fact, there are rumors going on today, which may or may not proved to be true, that there’s a recent alert issued by the US State Department - may be not what they say it is - of an increased danger from al-Qaeda over some terrorist operation, ongoing, against Americans, or some kind of military action that the United States is preparing against Syria.

I think it’s really moving in the wrong direction and there is no sign coming from the administration here that they would want negotiations.

There is, however, concern among other people including in the US Congress that the administration has gone a little too flight-forward in regard to this situation in Syria that might result in some investigations that could throw a monkey wrench into further action on the part of the US in that regard. Negotiations, I think, are pretty much far away off.

- How should we react to the upcoming talks in Geneva? Should we be pessimistic or optimistic?

- I think the fact that they’re going on and the fact that the United States is at least formally giving support and will be a participant in that is a sign that they’re not moving militarily. If that all would fall through, I think there would be more of a thrust towards military action.

Even though there’s not a lot of good will coming from the side of the Western nations and especially not from the Syrian opposition to try and reach a peaceful solution, I think talking is better than having any of the major powers getting engaged in the fight that’s going on in Syria.

I think also the tiff between the United States and Russia, unfortunately, may create something of a cleavage between the two parties that would be necessary to make this conference a success.

I’m pessimistic but I’m much happier that they’re talking rather than other things that are going on, so we’ll have to see how this thing proceeds.