Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Russian lawmakers in Damascus on Sunday that he was ready to take part in presidential elections if the Syrian people support the idea, RIA news agency reported, citing a lawmaker at the meeting.
Moscow is a key foreign ally for Assad, and Russia's foreign minister said in comments aired on Russian TV on Saturday that the Kremlin wanted Syria to prepare for parliamentary and presidential elections.
"Assad said that if the Syrian people consider it necessary, he would not be against taking part in presidential elections," RIA quoted lawmaker Alexander Yushchenko as saying.
