MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th May, 2020) There is no alternative to Bashar Assad continuing to govern Syria, a former Russian ambassador to the country said Friday, amid media reports that Russia, Iran and Turkey were discussing removing him from power.
"I do not know what [these claims] are based on. There is no evidence that we have changed our mind about supporting Assad," Alexander Zotov told Sputnik.
Media reports have cited Syrian opposition sources as saying that Assad's resignation was a matter of time. Zotov suggested they were fake news.
"It would make sense if Syrians had some kind of an alternative that we could count on as we plan ahead. But there is no such thing � and cannot be," he said.
He argued that Assad was a lawfully elected president who had asked for Russian military assistance, and it would be "counterproductive" to question his legitimacy.
Senior Russian lawmaker Dmitry Sablin, who oversees ties with the Syrian legislature, said earlier that Assad's overwhelming popularity at home defied rumors of his possible resignation.
