The Philip Hammond, British foreign minister said Friday that a transition process to end the war in Syria would demand the departure of President Bashar al Assad.
"Bashar al-Assad must go, as part of the transition in Syria. But we recognize that, in case there is a transition, [Asad] could participate in it," said Hammond in Prague, AFP said.
"We're clear. We are not going to try to destroy government institutions in Syria clearly we say we want to maintain institutions," he stressed the head of the Foreign Office on the eve of a meeting in Vienna of representatives of twenty countries that seek to define a framework for ending the war ravaging Syria for four and a half years ago.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said his side could not arrogate the "right" to ask Assad to leave power, as required by Western countries.
"Syria is a sovereign country and Bashar Assad a president elected by the people. So, do we have the right to talk to him about this matter Of course not," Putin said in an interview with news agencies Interfax and Anatolia .
Syria and Iran are the main allies of the Assad regime.