The 75-year-old former Finnish president and peace negotiator said he hoped the “job would go to someone else.”
According to Ahtisaari, a replacement for former UN-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan should be appointed by month’s end.
Ahtisaari, who has mediated in peace talks in Aceh, Namibia and Kosovo, said deadlock within the UN Security Council was preventing it from taking action.
Russia and China have continued to back Damascus while other permanent council members have proposed further sanctions on Syria.