Would Russia grant asylum to Syria's embattled president?
Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled last week he might be willing to grant asylum to Syria鈥檚 embattled leader.
In comments made during an interview with the , Mr. Putin said while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made mistakes, it was too early to discuss the prospect of granting him refuge.
Putin noted that the country has already extended diplomatic protection to former American NSA contractor Edward Snowden, after he released a trove of internal documents and fled to Russia.
鈥淲e granted asylum to聽Mr. Snowden, which was far more difficult than to聽do the聽same for聽Mr al-Assad,鈥� . 鈥淔irst, the聽Syrian people should be given the聽opportunity to聽have their say. I聽assure you, if this process is conducted democratically, then al-Assad will probably not need to聽leave the聽country at聽all. And聽it is not important whether he remains president or聽not.鈥�
Mr. Putin called for a new Syrian constitution during the interview, an endeavor he said would open up presidential and parliamentary elections and test Assad鈥檚 popularity, assuming the voting process would be conducted democratically.
鈥淚t is the Syrian people themselves who must decide who should run their country and how,鈥� he said.
But while a fair democratic election seems unlikely with Assad in control, could his departure bring peace to Syria and end a nearly five-year-long civil war? Or is the muddle of competing factions fighting against the embattled leader and the influence of Islamic State too much to overcome?
President Obama has , which has been a point of contention with Russia, one of Assad's most
Russia began a military campaign in September Putin said would target Islamic State, though it has conducted many airstrikes on opposition forces contesting Assad鈥檚 rule.
In 2012, Russia from power as part of a potential peace deal. But Western nations declined the offer, according to one senior diplomat involved in the negotiations, who told the Guardian those countries, including the United States, thought rebels forces were close to toppling Assad.
鈥淚t was an opportunity lost in 2012,鈥� said former Finnish president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Martti Ahtisaari, who took part in the talks.
Instead, Islamic State laid siege to swaths of Syria as competing rebel groups fighting for control of the region also battled forces loyal to Assad.
But there are signs that some rebel groups are willing to cooperate to work toward peace.
More than聽100 opposition members from varying groups in December met in Saudi Arabia to start peace talks. The group was comprised of the Western-backed Free Syrian Army, two Sunni groups supported by the Saudis, and a smattering of smaller rebel groups.
鈥淭he aim of the political settlement is to create a state based on the principle of citizenship without Bashar al-Assad or聽,鈥� the rebels said in a statement. 鈥淧articipants have insisted that Bashar al-Assad and his aides quit power with the start of the transition period.鈥澛�
