British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Wednesday ahead of an international conference to discuss peace efforts in Syria that only Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad’s departure could clear the way for a settlement.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Wednesday ahead of an international conference to discuss peace efforts in Syria that only Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's departure could clear the way for a settlement.

“It is the longstanding view of the UK that Assad needs to go, and we have never been able to see any solution which involves him staying," Hague told a press conference in Amman ahead of a meeting of the so-called “Friends of Syria”.

The meeting in Amman aimed at discussing a US-Russian proposal for a peace conference.

Judeh: Solution to Syria Crisis should be Political

For his part, Jordanian Foreign Minister, Nasser Judeh reassured that the solution for the Syrian crisis should be political, stressing that the solution must maintain Syria’s unity and sovereignty.

Judeh said that talks with Hague focused on the Syrian file and the “Friends of Syria” conference, which will be held Wednesday night.

He further pointed out that “Jordan’s stance from the Syrian crisis was clear since the beginning, and it urged finding a political solution which ensured Syria’s security, unity, and participation of all the Syrian people.”