U.N. envoy says 40 years of Assad family rule is "too long"

BEIRUT (Reuters) - Syrians believe that 40 years of Assad family rule is too long, the international mediator for Syria said, the closest he has come to calling directly for President Bashar al-Assad to leave power.

U.N. envoy Lakhdar Brahimi appears to have been pushed to take a firmer stance by a speech Assad delivered on Sunday, which was billed as a new peace proposal but offered no concessions and included a vow never to talk to foes he branded terrorists and Western puppets.