Putin: Asylum for Assad in Russia not discussed
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Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia isn't discussing granting political asylum to Syrian President Bashar Assad, shooting down rumors that such an offer is on the table.
Russia has protected Assad from United Nations sanctions over his bloody crackdown on protests and accused the West of fueling the conflict by backing the Syrian opposition. Putin, who regained the presidency in Sunday's election, said according to Russian newswires, that "we aren't even discussing the issue" of granting asylum to Assad, who has continued to defy mounting international pressure to end the year-old crackdown on an uprising against him. (AP)
