A high-ranking Kremlin source criticized on Saturday a suggestion by Tunisian President Munsaf al-Marzuki that Russia give asylum to embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
“The Tunisian president should make proposals on behalf of his own country instead of calling on other countries to do anything,” the source told journalists in Moscow, adding: “Such proposals should be aimed at achieving a peaceful settlement of the internal Syrian crisis.”
“Moreover," he said, "a number of Arab countries have already experienced the consequences of promoting democracy."
Commenting on the Syrian unrest during a meeting of the Friends of Syria group in Tunisia on Friday, al-Marzuki said: “A political solution must be found, such as granting the Syrian president, his family and members of his regime judicial immunity and a place to seek refuge, which Russia could offer.”
"The justice will not be served,” he added, “but the life of the Syrians is more important than justice.”
Russia did not attend Friday’s meeting in Tunisia, which gathered representatives of more than 60 countries, including the United States and its European allies, members of the Arab League and Turkey.
In a declaration issues after the talks, the group endorsed the Syrian National Council (SNC) as a "credible" voice of the Syrian opposition, and urged an immediate end to the violence in Syria. Delegates also called on Assad to let in humanitarian aid and vowed to ratchet up sanctions against the regime.
