Russia hosts Syria’s new foreign minister for the first time since Assad’s ouster
MOSCOW: Russia’s top diplomat on Thursday met with his Syrian counterpart during the first formal to Moscow by an official 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.
Opening the talks, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani that the Russian authorities “sincerely wish that the Syrian people, with whom we have long-standing friendship, overcome all existing challenges and completely normalize the situation,” and Al-Shibani said 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 keep Assad in his seat for years. However, when insurgent groups launched a new offensive last year, Russia did not intervene again to save Assad.
Assad took refuge in Russia after his ouster, later claiming in a statement posted on Facebook that he had wanted to stay in the country and continue fighting but that the Russians had pulled him out.
