'Assad's chances of keeping power bleak'

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made a “grave, possibly fatal mistake” and his chances of retaining power are getting “smaller and smaller” every day, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has said.

“Assad has made a mistake while carrying out political reforms. He should have done everything much faster, attracting part of the moderate opposition, which was ready to sit at the table with him to his side,” Medvedev told CNN.

“This was his grave mistake, and possibly a fatal one,” the Russian prime minister said.
“I think that with every day, every week and every month the chances of him retaining power are getting smaller and smaller,” Medvedev said.

“But I repeat again, this must be decided by the Syrian people. Not Russia, not the US, not any other country,” he said.

Syria has been locked in a civil war since demonstrations broke out against Assad in March 2011.