Moscow: Syria’s top diplomat met with Russian officials Thursday on the first visit to Moscow by a member of the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive last year despite years of Russian support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in the Kremlin, according to Syrian news agency SANA, a meeting that underlined the Kremlin’s desire to establish working ties with the country’s new leadership.
Before the talks with Putin, al-Shibani met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who emphasised that the Russian authorities “sincerely wish that the Syrian people, with whom we have long-standing friendship, overcome all existing challenges and completely normalise the situation.”
Al-Shibani responded that Syria was interested in ties with Russia and having Russia “by our side.”
Assad was an ally of Russia, and Moscow’s scorched-earth intervention in support of him a decade ago turned the tide of Syria’s civil war and kept Assad in his seat until his swift demise in December.
Russia, which has focused on the fighting in Ukraine and kept only a small military contingent in Syria, didn’t try to counter the rebel offensive but sheltered Assad after he fled the country. Without naming Assad, al-Shibani called on Russia to support the country’s post-Assad “transitional justice” process and said Syria has formed a committee to review past agreements with Russia.
Despite having been on opposite sides of the battle lines during the civil war, the new rulers in Damascus, headed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, have taken a pragmatic approach to relations with Moscow.
A Russian delegation visited Damascus in January, and the following month Putin had a call with al-Sharaa that the Kremlin described as “constructive and business-like.”
Russia has retained presence at its air and naval bases on the Syrian coast and the Kremlin has voiced hope for negotiating a deal to keep the outposts. Moscow also has reportedly sent oil shipments to Syria. Syria’s Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra accompanied al-Shibani on his visit to Moscow and met his Russian counterpart Andrei Belousov. They discussed “cooperation between defence ministries and the situation in the Middle East,” the Russian Defence Ministry said.
Speaking to reporters after the talks on Thursday, Lavrov thanked “Syrian colleagues for the steps they’re taking to ensure the safety of Russian citizens and Russian facilities” in Syria.
“We reaffirmed our support for the preservation of the unity, territorial integrity and independence of the Syrian Arab Republic and are ready to provide the Syrian people with all possible assistance in post-conflict reconstruction. We agreed that we will continue our dialogue on these issues,” Lavrov said.