According to the final communique the transitional government “could include members of the present government and the opposition and other groups and shall be formed on the basis of mutual consent”.

The final communique omits what a previous draft had stated that: it “would
 exclude from government those whose continued presence and participation would undermine the credibility of the transition and jeopardise stability and reconciliation”.

“We need rapid steps to reach agreement. The conflict must be resolved through peaceful dialogue and negotiations,” Annan said.

Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, said he was “delighted” with the result as it meant no external solution was being imposed on Syria.

Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, took a different perspective from Lavrov, saying the communique sent a clear message to Assad that he Assad will still have to go. He will never pass the mutual consent test,” she said.

William Hague, the British foreign secretary, said Assad and his close associates could not lead any transition.

Hague called for the UN Security Council to start drafting a resolution next week setting out sanctions against Syria, a move that he noted put him at odds with Russia, according to Al Jazeera. 

An explosion also rocked the Qaboon district of Damascus on Saturday and another blast hit the country’s second city Aleppo in the north. A further blast hit an oil pipeline in a rebel-held area of the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, according to AP.