Putin says has no 'right' to ask Assad to leave power
- 9 years ago
President Vladimir Putin said in an interview released Friday that Russia has no "right" to ask Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad to leave power.
His remarks came just days before leaders from the world's top 20 industrial powers gather in Turkey for a summit which begins Sunday and is likely to be dominated by the Syrian conflict.
But Putin, who hosted the embattled Syrian leader for surprise talks at the Kremlin last month, said Russia could not and would not ask him to quit.
"Syria is a sovereign country, Bashar al-Assad is a president elected by the people.
So do we have the right to discuss with him these issues?
Of course not," Putin said in an interview with the Interfax and Anatolia news agencies.
Putin reiterated that Russia's bombing campaign in Syria would last for the duration of an offensive by the Syrian army.
"So the duration of our military's stay will be determined solely by the implementation of this goal," Putin said.
His remarks came just days before leaders from the world's top 20 industrial powers gather in Turkey for a summit which begins Sunday and is likely to be dominated by the Syrian conflict.
But Putin, who hosted the embattled Syrian leader for surprise talks at the Kremlin last month, said Russia could not and would not ask him to quit.
"Syria is a sovereign country, Bashar al-Assad is a president elected by the people.
So do we have the right to discuss with him these issues?
Of course not," Putin said in an interview with the Interfax and Anatolia news agencies.
Putin reiterated that Russia's bombing campaign in Syria would last for the duration of an offensive by the Syrian army.
"So the duration of our military's stay will be determined solely by the implementation of this goal," Putin said.