Russia says demands that Assad should leave hinder Syria's political process - RIA

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with Russia's RIA news agency, in Damascus, Syria in this handout picture provided by SANA on March 30, 2016. REUTERS/SANA/Handout via Reuters

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Demands for Syria's President Bashar al-Assad to step down restrict perspectives for political settlement in this country, Russia's RIA news agency on Monday quoted Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov as saying. Moscow proposes to put off discussions about Assad's fate, Ryabkov said, adding the issue should be decided later by the sides involved in the Syrian conflict. (Reporting by Maria Kiselyova; Writing by Dmitry Solovyov)