HIBAPRESS
Russian President Vladimir Putin received Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in Moscow on Wednesday, accompanied by an official delegation, within the framework of discussions that addressed ways to strengthen bilateral relations and developments in the regional situation.
During the meeting, Putin affirmed his country's keenness to consolidate cooperation with Syria in various fields, stressing that relations between the two countries are "deep-rooted" and that work is ongoing to develop them. He also expressed Moscow's readiness to contribute to the efforts to rebuild Syria, considering that there is much that can be achieved in this regard. The Russian President reiterated his support for the efforts of the Syrian leadership aimed at preserving the unity of the country, pointing out that the level of economic cooperation between Moscow and Damascus has witnessed remarkable progress that should be maintained and strengthened. For his part, the Syrian President stressed that his country plays a pivotal role in the stability of the region, expressing his appreciation for Russian support in efforts to achieve stability within Syria and its regional environment, and confirming his aspiration for the continuation of this support, especially with regard to the unity of Syrian territories. Earlier in the same day, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov explained that the program of discussions included a working lunch in addition to a closed bilateral meeting between the two presidents. He pointed out that the talks focused on bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic field, in addition to exchanging views on regional issues. In response to a question from "Agence France-Presse" about the possibility of handing over Bashar al-Assad, Peskov declined to comment, stressing that Moscow does not make statements regarding this issue. He also avoided delving into the details of the Russian military presence in Syria, referring the questions to the Ministry of Defense, but he expected that the issue of the presence of Russian forces would be raised during today's talks. It is worth mentioning that the first meeting between the two presidents was last October, which was dominated by a reconciliatory tone, in a visit described at the time as al-Assad's first to Moscow since he assumed the presidency.
