Hague: ‘Still no Plan B in Syria’

By Samuel Burke

At this year's U.N. General Assembly, Syria's civil war is top of the agenda.

There has already been a lot of talk about the violence and the climbing death toll, but even the leaders making those speeches are skeptical that any real action will come of it.

Even British Foreign Secretary William Hague, who has played an active role in trying to find a solution, tells CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that he doesn’t see one on the horizon.

This week the prime minister of Qatar told Amanpour that he felt there was a “Plan B” in the works for Syria, but Hague doesn’t know anything about that plan. 

“Of course, people float these ideas from time to time. That's understandable, given the gravity of the situation. But of course whenever we've discussed it, such as in the U.N. Security Council a few weeks ago, the U.N. high commission for refugees was very clear that that wasn't the answer. Safe areas weren't the answer unless you were sure you could protect everybody in the safe areas. That in requires a major military intervention.”

But Hague says no option should be ruled out.

Back in May of this year, Ban Ki-moon caused a stir when he told Amanpour there was no “plan b” in Syria. Hague echoes that today: “There is no ‘Plan B’ that everybody has agreed on.”

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Though Hague says there are a number of meeting planned, he adds: “But we are at a diplomatic impasse in the U.N. Security Council, as you know, with Russia and China.”

Hague says British Prime Minister David Cameron met with President Putin last month, and while the Russians agree with the U.K. that it’s not in their interest to see a complete collapse of order in Syria and there should be a transitional government, they're not prepared to join in a U.N. resolution that brings it about.

While Hague says there are many things that could be done even in the absence of an agreement -humanitarian aid and support for the opposition- he admits that’s not currently happening.

“There isn't a magic idea,” Hague says even though he admits, “There are clearly greater dangers to neighboring countries of sectarian conflict in Syria than was the case in Libya.”

Full transcript of Amanpour's interview with Hague