Russia opposes calls for Assad to resign

Russia does not support calls by the U.S. and EU member states for Syrian President Bashar Assad's resignation, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday, RIA Novosti reports.

 "Our position regarding events in Syria is that the country's leadership should receive enough time to implement its large-scale political and economic reform program," a ministry statement said.

 The ministry also said that the Assad regime had taken "substantial steps" in the direction of reforms with the lifting of the decade-long state of emergency.

 "We do not share the U.S. and EU viewpoint regarding President Assad," the ministry said.