Question of Al-Assad's ouster should be decided by Syrians themselves - Lavrov
MOSCOW. Aug 18 (Interfax) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has confirmed Russia's stance that the resignation of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad cannot be imposed from abroad.
"This should be decided by Syrians themselves. Like in any other state the future of its leadership is decided by the people," he said in an interview with Sky News Arabia channel.
"The Syrian people should be asked. As I said the regime has made many mistakes. But one of the main reasons for the aggravation of the conflict after non-violent and later violent, armed confrontation began is the following: those who demanded Al-Assad's ouster from the very start ignored the interests of the part of the Syrian people that - let us admit it - saw and continues to see him as the guarantor of their rights and security in the Syrian state," he said.