MOSCOW, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Bashar al-Assad has left Syria and resigned as the country's President while calling for a peaceful transfer of power, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

"After negotiations with some of the participants in the armed conflict within the Arab Syrian Republic, Bashar al-Assad decided to resign as president and leave the country, while instructing for a peaceful transfer of power," said the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry added that Russia did not participate in any talks related to a transfer of power and strongly called on all concerned parties to abandon violence and resolve all governance issues through political means.

Russian military bases in Syria are on high alert, but their security is not seriously threatened, said the ministry, adding that Russia is in contact with all Syrian opposition groups.

The ministry said that Russia supports the efforts to establish an inclusive political process based on Resolution 2254 of the UN Security Council and expects the involvement of the UN and the Security Council. Enditem

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