Moscow helped maintain Bashar al-Assad in energy when it intervened militarily in Syria’s warfare in 2015, launching devastating strikes on rebel-held areas.
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has spoken to Syria’s interim chief Ahmad al-Sharaa, the primary such top-level contact because the fall of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Rebels led by al-Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group ousted Moscow’s shut ally in December after a lightning offensive, and questions have remained over the destiny of Russia’s two army bases within the war-torn nation.
In the course of the telephone name on Wednesday, al-Sharaa emphasised “the robust strategic ties between the 2 international locations and Syria’s openness to all events” in a manner that serves “the pursuits of the Syrian individuals and strengthens Syria’s stability and safety”, an announcement by the Syrian presidency mentioned.
It additionally mentioned Putin prolonged “an official invitation to International Minister Asaad al-Shaibani to go to Russia”.
“The Russian aspect emphasised its principled place in assist of the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian state,” the Kremlin mentioned in an announcement.
Moscow helped maintain al-Assad in energy when it intervened militarily in Syria’s warfare in 2015, launching devastating air strikes on rebel-held areas.
When rebels swept into Damascus in December, Russia granted the previous president asylum, angering many Syrians, together with the nation’s new rulers.
Russia is searching for to safe its naval base in Tartus and its airbase at Khmeimim – each on Syria’s Mediterranean coast and Moscow’s solely army bases exterior the previous Soviet Union – with the brand new Syrian authorities.
Final month, there have been stories that Syria had demanded the return of al-Assad in alternate for permitting Moscow to keep up its army bases.
The bases have confirmed important to Russia’s worldwide ambitions, serving as a launchpad for operations in assist of al-Assad in addition to staging grounds for Moscow to undertaking affect throughout the Mediterranean area and Africa.
Preparatory committee fashioned
In the meantime, Syria’s interim authorities introduced a seven-member preparatory committee to form the nation’s future.
Al Jazeera’s Osama Bin Javaid. reporting from Damascus. mentioned the committee contains members of the ruling coalition, members of civil society and two ladies, one among whom is a Christian.
Calls for of variety and inclusivity from the worldwide group and the Syrian individuals appear to have been taken on board, Javaid mentioned.
“Though this can be a great distance away from nationwide dialogue the place we’re listening to that greater than 1,000 Syrians from all walks of life are anticipated to participate and attempt to chart out a future technique for Syria,” Javaid mentioned.
“However that is going to be a primary step, which is already being welcomed by some analysts who see this as a optimistic step to bringing all Syrians to the desk in assuring them that this authorities underneath al-Sharaa means what it says.”
