Russian President Vladimir Putin won the backing of Turkey and Iran on Wednesday to host a Syrian peace congress, taking the central role in a major diplomatic push to finally end a civil war all but won by Moscow's ally, President Bashar Assad.
Syrian opposition groups, meeting in Saudi Arabia to seek a unified position ahead of peace talks, decided to stick to their demand that Assad leave power, Al Arabiya television reported, following speculation they might soften their stance after their hard-line leader quit.
Two days after being visited by Assad in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, Putin hosted Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani there.