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Russian diplomat says secular regime in Syria should be set up in democratic way

MOSCOW, February 27. /TASS/. The regime in Syria should be secular and should be set up through democratic elections, Russian Special Presidential Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said on Monday at the Sixth Conference of the Valdai Discussion Forum’s Middle East Dialogue.

He dismissed concerns that Iran plans to remain in Syria forever and strengthen its control over the country. "There are internationally recognized documents, adopted by consensus," Bogdanov noted. 

"They include the decisions made at the Vienna meeting of the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) involving Russia, the US, China, Arab countries, Turkey and Iran, which were enshrined in the UN Security Council Resolution 2254."

"The document says that the Syrian regime should be neither Sunni nor Alawi nor any other but a secular one, and the regime should be set up through democratic procedures," Bogdanov stressed. "Which means conducting elections, so that the Syrian people living in Syria, as well as refugees who have the right to vote, could choose their new government."