Russia and Syria strengthen ties and will review agreements made under Assad
Russia, which has two military bases in Syria, was a major supporter of Bashar al-Assad, who took refuge in Russian territory after his fall last December.
During a meeting in Moscow with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov, the Syrian foreign minister said Thursday that his country wanted Russia "by our side." "This is a period filled with challenges and threats. But it's also an opportunity to build a united and strong Syria. And, of course, we want Russia to be by our side on this path," said Shaibani, according to a Russian translation of his remarks.
In this context, Russia and Syria will "review" previous agreements concluded between Moscow and Damascus and form a new intergovernmental commission, he said at a press conference with Mr. Lavrov after the talks. "It's clear that quite a few agreements and contracts were concluded in completely different circumstances in previous years," said Sergei Lavrov.
"That's why we have agreed to review all the agreements in place," he explained, stating that Russia was "ready to provide the Syrian people with all possible assistance for post-conflict reconstruction." Neither Lavrov nor Shaibani, however, mentioned the fate of the two military bases that Russia maintains and wishes to keep in Syria: the naval base in Tartus and the military airfield in Hmeimim located on the coast.
Russia came to the rescue of Bashar al-Assad in 2015 by intervening militarily in Syria, participating in the ruthless crackdown on rebels and jihadists, notably by conducting devastating airstrikes. But the new Syrian government, strongly backed by the United States, has maintained relations with Russia. "We need friends, we need partners," the Syrian foreign minister emphasized Thursday at a press conference with Lavrov, saying he expected an "excellent" future for relations between Moscow and Damascus.
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