Russia accepts Syrian regime change without force

MOSCOW - Russia does not mind a change of the Syrian administration that comes with no bloodshed or foreign interference, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said here on Sunday.

"Any outcome of the political reform suitable for the people of Syria will be absolutely suitable for Russia. We are nobody's advocates in that process," Ryabkov was quoted by Itar-tass news agency as saying, upon his return from the G8 summit held May 18-19 in the United States.

"If the Damascus administration is transformed without bloodshed, foreign interference, arms supplies, incitement to the use of force and so on and so forth, an alternative will satisfy us irrespective of the outcome," he said.

Ryabkov stressed that Russia rejects any forcible measures on Syria to settle the crisis in the country, warning that the measures may lead the country into a civil war.

Meanwhile, the deputy minister said Russia "is fully satisfied" with the G8 summit declaration on Syria, as leaders of the G8 countries voiced their support to UN-Arab League joint envoy Kofi Annan's peace plan and called on the Syrian sides to fulfill the plan.

G8 leaders on Saturday called on the Syrian government and all parties in the country to immediately and fully adhere to a six-point peace plan brokered by Annan.

Before the summit, the Kremlin said that Russia will work to exclude Syria and Iran from the declaration of the G8 summit, as Moscow believed the main floor to solve the issues is the UN Security Council.