Russia yesterday said that President Bashar al-Assad could leave power as part of a settlement to end bloodshed in Syria, as Saudi Arabia called on Moscow to end its support for his embattled regime.

"We have never said or insisted that Assad necessar-

ily had to remain in power at the end of the political process," said Russia's Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov.

"This issue has to be settled by the Syrians themselves," ITAR-TASS news agency quoted him as saying.

The statement was one of Russia's most explicit about Assad’s position since Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov refused to clearly back his rule during a visit to Damascus in February.

It came as Moscow and Beijing, which have stalledWestern-led moves against Damascus,

began talks on ending nearly 15 months of violence that has killed more than 13,500 Syrians, and cost the lives of at least another 26 yesterday.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged both Russia and China to be "part of the solution" to the crisis after they agreed to work together more closely

in the United Nations.

"We believe there is a way forward and we are ready to pursue that. And we invite the Russians and the Chinese to be part of the solution," she told a news conference in the Georgian Black Sea city of Batumi.

Saudi Arabia, which has led Arab calls for Assad to step aside, said meanwhile it is time for Moscow to change its tune on Syria and work to ensure the peaceful transfer of power in the unrest-swept country.