DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has said he has no intention of quitting, and the issue is not up for discussion at next week's peace talks.
"If we wanted to surrender we would have surrendered from the start," Mr Assad told Russian MPs in Damascus, according to Interfax news agency.
The government, opposition groups and Western diplomats will take part in peace talks in Switzerland next week.
More than 100,000 have been killed and millions displaced in the conflict.