Russia says demands that Assad quit prolong Syrian conflict

Russia says demands that Assad quit prolong Syrian conflict: MOSCOW (Reuters) - Demands that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad quit power are blocking efforts to end the 16-month-old conflict, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov warned on Thursday. Lavrov said such calls - made by the United States, several European and Arab governments and Turkey - were fanning the flames of violence and reiterated Moscow's claim that support for Syrian rebel groups was tantamount to backing terrorism. "We propose things that would allow for an immediate ceasefire, but the other side says, 'No, either the regime capitulates or we will continue to back ... ...