MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russian President Vladimir Putin and International Minister Sergei Lavrov met with Syria’s international minister Asaad al-Shibani in Moscow on Thursday, the primary go to by a high official from Syria’s new authorities for the reason that toppling of longtime Russian ally Bashar al-Assad in December.
Lavrov mentioned Moscow would love Syria’s new President Ahmed al-Sharaa to attend a summit between Russia and Arab League member states in Moscow in October.
“In fact, we hope that President al-Sharaa will be capable of participate within the first Russia-Arab League summit, which is scheduled for October 15,” Lavrov mentioned.
Sharaa, who as soon as headed the Syrian department of Al Qaeda, led rebels into Damascus in December and put in a brand new authorities. Assad fled the capital and was granted asylum in Russia.
Moscow has since tried to protect ties with Syria’s new authorities, together with providing Damascus diplomatic help over Israeli strikes on Syrian territory.
Putin obtained Shibani and his accompanying delegation on the Kremlin, Syria’s state information company SANA reported with out offering additional particulars on the assembly.
At a joint information convention, Shibani mentioned his journey to Moscow was supposed “to begin a obligatory dialogue … based mostly on the teachings of the previous, to formulate the longer term”.
He mentioned he had agreed with Lavrov on establishing two committees tasked with re-evaluating previous agreements between Syria and Russia.
“There are various alternatives for a united sturdy Syria, we hope Russia stands with us on this pathway,” Shibani mentioned.
Lavrov thanked Syrian authorities for making certain the safety of two Russian bases within the nation, the place Moscow continues to keep up a presence, in addition to backing the removing of sanctions on Syria.
In Could, the Russian international minister warned of “ethnic cleaning” of Syrian non secular minorities by “radical militant teams”.
(Reporting by Olesya Astakhova; Extra Reporting by Enas Alashray in Cairo; Writing by Felix Gentle and Maya Gebeily; Enhancing by Mark Trevelyan and Giles Elgood)