Russia said yesterday that President Bashar al-Assad could leave power as part of a settlement to end bloodshed in Syria, as Saudi Arabia called on Moscow to end its support for his embattled regime.

We have never said or insisted that Assad necessarily had to remain in power at the end of the political process

Moscow is under growing pressure to back Assad’s departure as a first step in a peace accord that would see his inner circle assume command in the interim, basedon a US-backed transition this year in Yemen.

“We have never said or insisted that Assad necessarily had to remain in power at the end ofthe political process,” saidRussia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.

“This issue has to be settled by the Syrians themselves,” ITAR-TASS news agency quoted him as saying.

The statement was one of Russia’s most explicit about Assad’s position since Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov refused to clearly back his rule during a visit to Damascus in February.

It came as Moscow and Beijing, which have stalled Western-led moves against Damascus,began talks on ending nearly15 months of violence that haskilled more than 13,500 Syrians, and cost the lives of at least another 34 on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged both Russia and China to be “part of the solution” to the crisis after they agreed to work together more closely in the UN.

Russian President Vladimir Putin began talks with President HuJintao, a day ahead of a meeting with Hu’s likely successor Vice-President Xi Jinping.

Both Beijing and Moscow, which have twice used their veto powers to block tougher action against Assad’s regime at the UN Security Council, have come under intense pressure to change their stance since last month’s Houla massacre. Saudi Arabia said, meanwhile, it is time for Moscow to change its tune on Syria.

“The time has come for Russia to change its stance from supporting the Syrian regime to working to stop the killing and (supporting) a peaceful transition of power,” said Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.