Russia says Assad exit must not be condition for peace

After Geneva talks, Moscow envoy reiterates call for end of violence

Russia voiced support on Saturday for international peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi but insisted that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's exit cannot be a precondition for a deal to end the conflict in Syria.

A Russian Foreign Ministry statement after talks on Friday in Geneva with the United States and Brahimi reiterated calls for an end to the violence in Syria.