by Simon Bradley, swissinfo.ch

Pressure by the international community can have a moral, supportive role but external factors cannot bring about change to the Syrian crisis, says a Swiss expert.

Mohammad Reza-Djalili, a political scientist who specialises in the Middle East, says the five-month crisis has entered a crucial new phase, but much still depends on the relationship between President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian security forces.

Assad told United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week that military and police operations, which have intensified since the start of the holy month of Ramadan this month to crush the uprising against Assad’s rule, had stopped. read more