PHOTO: President Assad and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Tuesday night
The Kremlin has confirmed that President Assad is in Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Assad arrived on Tuesday evening for dinner and talks with Putin, informing the Russian leader about the plans of regime forces.
Peskov said that part of the lengthy discussion was conducted with “Russia’s top officials” — such as the Foreign and Defense Ministers, the head of the Security Council, and the chief of the foreign intelligence service — present. He gave no details but said both leaders “made rather large statements”.
According to a Kremlin transcript, Assad said:
First of all I wanted to express my huge gratitude to the whole leadership of the Russian Federation for the help they are giving Syria.
If it was not for your actions and your decisions, the terrorism which is spreading in the region would have swallowed up a much greater area and spread over an even greater area.
Putin responded:
We assume that a long-term solution may be reached on the basis of the latest military developments and political process with participation from all political, ethnic and religious groups.
This decision can be made only by the Syrian people. Syria is a friendly country. And we are ready to support it not only militarily but politically as well.
The trip is Assad’s first abroad since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.
