The exiled uncle of President Assad of Syria has said he does not believe the regime can survive because of the level of violence on the streets.

Rifaat al-Assad, a former Syrian vice president who has lived in Paris since mounting a failed coup attempt in the 1980s, told Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen that "it will be very difficult for him [President Assad] to stay in power... but he should stay so he can co-operate with the new government and offer the experience that he has."

He went on to say that the Assad family "is pretty much accepted by the Syrian people" and they have much more support "than some of the meaningless figures of the SNC [Syrian National Council]".

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