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Russian delegation holds talks with new Syrian leader
Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.[Regnum] The Russian interdepartmental delegation held talks in Damascus with the head of the Syrian administration, Ahmad al-Sharaa. The nearly three-hour meeting was generally constructive, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Bogdanov told journalists on January 28. "The conversation was mainly led by the head of the new administration of the interim government of Syria, Ahmad al-Sharaa, the negotiations were also attended by Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, and the Minister of Health Maher al-Sharaa, who is Ahmad al-Sharaa's older brother, and our interdepartmental delegation... There was a good atmosphere. But we understand how difficult the situation is (in the country. - Ed.)," the Russian diplomat noted. According to Bogdanov, the parties discussed trade and economic ties and further mutually beneficial cooperation. During the talks, the Russian delegation emphasized the traditionally friendly nature of relations since Syria gained independence after World War II. In addition, Russians and the Syrian people are linked by ties of friendship and cooperation, the Deputy Foreign Minister added. Also at the meeting, Russia called for the resolution of problematic issues in Syria through dialogue with the participation of all political forces in the country and ethno-confessional groups. This kind of work should be built on the principles of national accord, since this is the key to preserving the unity and territorial integrity of the republic, Bogdanov concluded, wishing prosperity to the Syrian people. As reported by Regnum News Agency, on December 8, 2024, Bashar al-Assad resigned as president and left Syria, ordering a peaceful transfer of power. He and his family arrived in Russia, where they were granted asylum. On December 10, 2024, Mohammed al-Bashir announced his appointment as head of the Syrian government for a transitional period that will last until March 1, 2025. The de facto leader of Syria was Ahmed al-Sharaa, head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group (banned in Russia and recognized as terrorist). For several years, Russia has supported the Syrian government led by Assad in their fight against terrorist forces. The country has pledged to provide support as long as the Syrian state itself is conducting military operations, Russian President Vladimir Putin noted earlier. At the same time, back in 2015, the head of state indicated that "we are not going to be more Syrian than the Syrians themselves," since this problem is an internal matter for Damascus. Nevertheless, Moscow has always advocated for the normalization of dialogue between political and religious Syrian forces and organizations, stating the need to conduct the most fruitful negotiations under the auspices of the UN in Geneva. Adds Boris Rozhin: The main issues are the preservation of the Russian Khmeimim airbase and the Russian Navy logistics center in Tartus, recognition of the new Syrian authorities, the work of the embassy in Damascus and issues of humanitarian aid to Syria. This visit should clarify the prospects for preserving Russian bases in Syria. At the current stage, it would be advantageous for Russia to preserve these bases even in a truncated version. If an agreement cannot be reached, then the bases will most likely be withdrawn to the African continent, where the Russian military presence continues to expand. I believe that everything will become clear by mid-February. The bases themselves are currently operating and are not being withdrawn, although the air group at Khmeimim has already been reduced, since the need for a large group of strike aircraft has disappeared (they managed to slap on a few hundred militants before Assad's fall, sweetening the pill). Posted by: badanov 2025-01-29 |
| http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=737654 |