CIA head in Moscow this month, discussed Assad leaving power: RIA

The director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency raised the issue of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad leaving power when he visited Moscow at the start of March, RIA news agency said on Monday, citing the U.S. Embassy in Russia. CIA Director John Brennan also discussed the observance of the ceasefire in Syria, the news agency said. Dean Boyd, the CIA's chief spokesman, confirmed to Reuters that Brennan had visited Moscow in early March and that Syrian issues were on the agenda.