BREAKING NEWS

Russia says policy on Syria unchanged

MOSCOW - Russia said on Friday it had not changed policy on Syria, despite comments by a diplomat who said President Bashar Assad's opponents might win the civil war.
The remarks on Thursday by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov were among the most pessimistic yet from Russia on Syria and were welcomed by Washington, which said Moscow had "finally woken up to reality".
But Russia's Foreign Ministry said Bogdanov had reiterated the country's position on Syria, stating that any resolution of the conflict should be based on an agreement secured at an international meeting in Geneva earlier this year.
"Bogdanov reiterated Russia's position there is no alternative to a political solution in Syria, based on the final communique of the Action Group which was approved by consensus at a ministerial meeting in Geneva," it said in a statement.