Russia says Syrians must decide future of their country

Russia's Foreign Ministry said on Monday it was up to Syrians to determine their own future and called for an "inclusive" government taking account of the country's diverse ethnic and religious interests.

A ministry statement said Moscow was closely watching the situation more than a week after the fall of President Bashar al-Assad, long backed by Moscow, and as power becomes consolidated under commander Ahmed al-Sharaa.

"We believe that the path to a sustainable normalisation of the situation in Syria lies in creating an inclusive dialogue among Syrians based on achieving national accord and moving forward with the complex process of a political settlement," the statement said.

"For Russia, it is important that the future of Syria be set out by Syrians themselves. We believe that the relations of friendship and mutual respect between the peoples of our countries for decades will continue to develop constructively."

It noted that Muslims had lived side-by-side in Syria for centuries with Christians, including the Damascus-based Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East, which has close ties with the Russian Orthodox Church.

The Kremlin said on Monday that no final decisions had yet been taken on the future of Russia's military bases in Syria and that it was in contact with those in charge of the country.

Four Syrian officials told Reuters at the weekend that Russia was pulling back its military from the front lines in northern Syria and from posts in the Alawite Mountains but was not leaving its two main bases.

Assad, granted asylum in Russia, issued his first statement since being toppled from power, saying he was evacuated from the Hmeimim base on Dec. 8 as it came under drone attack, after leaving Damascus that morning with rebel fighters closing in.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Bill Berkrot)