© Press TVRussian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the remarks on Thursday after a Russia-EU Permanent Partnership Council (PPC) meeting in Moscow, Syria's state news agency, SANA, reported.
Detailing the anti-Damascus push, Lavrov said, "Some opposition representatives, with support from some foreign countries, [could] declare that dialogue can begin only after the regime goes."
Syria has been experiencing unrest ever since mid-March, with demonstrations being held both against and in support of Assad's government.
Hundreds of people, including members of the security forces, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says outlaws, saboteurs, and armed terrorists are the driving factor behind the deadly violence, while the opposition accuses the security forces of being behind the killings.
The Syrian government also says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country and that the security forces have been given clear instructions not to harm civilians.
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Or pay the price for failure to do so.
The name of the game is democracy.
None play for real, just for show.
So why does the regime in Syria think they are so special?
It's not too late.
They can setup a 'democracy' same as everyone else.
Play or pay, it's always a matter of choice.