Syrian Defense Minister: We’re open to continuing Russian military presence in the country
Syrian Defense Minister, Murhaf Abu Qasra, confirmed that Damascus is open to the continuation of the Russian military presence in the country, including the air and naval bases in Hmeimim and Tartus, as long as this presence serves Syria’s interests.
In statements, Abu Qasra indicated that Moscow’s relationship with Damascus has witnessed positive development since the political transformations that Syria witnessed last December.
He stressed that the Syrian leadership is carefully studying the Russian demands, noting that talks between the two sides are ongoing to ensure cooperation that serves the interests of both countries.
In response to a question from The Washington Post about Russian airstrikes that previously targeted him when he was part of the armed opposition, he said, “In politics, there are no permanent enemies”.
Regarding the continuation of Russian military bases in Syria, such as the Tartus naval base and the Hmeimim air base, the minister explained that if these bases bring benefits to Syria, Damascus will consider keeping them.
He also indicated that the Syrian government is considering concluding defense agreements with several countries, and is conducting sensitive negotiations with the United States and Türkiye regarding the presence of their military bases in the country.
When Abu Qasra was asked about the request of interim Syrian President Ahmed al Sharaa to hand over Bashar al Assad during his recent meeting with Russian officials, he didn’t confirm this, but he indicated that the issue of holding Assad accountable was discussed in the meeting.
“When Bashar al Assad chose to go to Russia, he thought that reaching an agreement with the Russians would be impossible, but perhaps relations can be rebuilt in a way that serves Syria’s interests first and then Russia’s interests,” Abu Qasra added.
In the same context, the Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, didn’t comment on the situation of Bashar al Assad, but expressed its gratitude that Russian citizens and facilities weren’t harmed by the recent events in Syria.
Abu Qasra pointed out that the agreement on the continuation of the Russian military presence requires further negotiations, explaining that things haven’t changed so far, and that the two sides agreed to continue consultations.
For his part, Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed that many countries in the region want to maintain Russian military bases in Syria, noting that the continuation of these bases depends on the compatibility of interests with the new Syrian leadership.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had previously stated that Moscow had not received any requests from Damascus to reconsider the agreements related to the two Russian bases, explaining that the deployment of the bases was in accordance with international agreements.
In another statement, interim President Ahmed al Sharaa confirmed that Damascus has strategic interests with Russia, as it’s the second most powerful country in the world, stressing that the new Syrian administration seeks to achieve the interests of the Syrian people away from provoking crises with foreign countries.
