"The fate of Assad should be discussed by the Syrians, not by Russia," Peskov said.
He added that, at the moment, the efforts of the international community were focused on drawing up lists of terrorist organizations active in Syria and of the moderate opposition, which could contribute to political settlement in the country.
"This work is not complete yet. You know that there are some differences between some parties, but the positions are coming closer [together]," Peskov pointed out.
On December 3, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that a sustainable solution to the conflict in Syria was impossible without an agreed list of the terrorist organizations operating in the country.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011, with opposition factions and Islamist terrorist groups such as Islamic State (IS or Daesh, outlawed in Russia) and the Nusra Front fighting the Syrian Army.
Since the beginning of the war, the United States and some of its allies have been supporting the so-called moderate Syrian opposition, while urging Assad to resign. Russia recognizes the Syrian president as the legitimate authority in the country, stressing that Syrian people should be free to chose their leadership without outside intervention.
