White House signals it would allow Bashar al-Assad to take part in political transition

REUTERS

Currently, Washington is not imposing strict time limits for Assad's withdrawal, which enables a more flexible position for the U.S. during the talks in Vienna, scheduled for October 30, according to the sources, the WSJ reports.

During those talks, the United States is expected to present its ceasefire plan.

Read alsoReuters: Syrian presidency says seeks end to terrorism before initiativesAccording to the sources, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has recently been trying to persuade Assad's main regional opponents, including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, to support the U.S. diplomatic initiatives.