AFP, Damascus :
Joint operations between Syrian and Russian forces are achieving “big results,” Syria’s parliament chief told a visiting Russian parliamentary delegation on Saturday, state news agency SANA reported.
“The coordination between Syrian and Russian forces during the implementation of air and ground operations has begun to achieve big results in defeating and eradicating terrorism in Syria and Iraq,” Jihad al-Lahham said.
He also defended joint Russian-Syrian operations as “the only legitimate coalition against international terrorism” in a dig at a US-led coalition against the Islamic State group that does not coordinate with Damascus.
Russia began an aerial campaign in Syria on September 30, in response to a request from Damascus.
Moscow says it is targeting IS and other “terrorists,” but Syrian rebels and their backers say Russian strikes have focused on moderate and Islamist fighters, not jihadists.
Russia and Iran have proved staunch allies of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime throughout the uprising against it that begin in March 2011.
Mr Lahham said Syria was working with Russia and Iran “to push forward a political solution in parallel with the fight against terrorism”.
The delegation’s visit to Damascus comes a few days after Assad made a surprise trip to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin.
It was his first known overseas trip since the war in Syria began.
Meanwhile, Syrian media says President Bashar Assad told a visiting Russian delegation that eradicating “terrorist” groups in Syria will lead to the political solution that Damascus and Moscow are seeking.
Assad’s comments were reported Sunday by state media. The brief comments were made during a meeting between Assad and a Russian parliamentary delegation in Damascus.
The top diplomats from Russia, the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Turkey are discussing new ideas to revive a failed political transition in Syria to end the war, now in its fifth year. The push follows a Russian military intervention in Syria, targeting with airstrikes what Moscow and Damascus call “terrorists.”
Assad told the delegation the new Russian role is “the writing of a new history” and will determine the future of the region and the world.
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said “the elimination of terrorist groups” would lead to a political solution sought by Syria and Russia, and expressed his appreciation for Russian air strikes in a meeting with a Russian delegation on Sunday, Syrian state media reported.
Earlier the Russian news agency RIA cited a lawmaker who attended the meeting as saying Assad was ready to take part in presidential elections if the Syrian people supported the idea.
SANA’s initial report on the meeting made no mention of a proposal floated by Russia for new presidential and parliamentary elections.
“Eliminating the terrorist organizations will lead to the political solution that we strive for in Syria and Russia,” Assad was quoted as saying by state news agency SANA.
Joint operations between Syrian and Russian forces are achieving “big results,” Syria’s parliament chief told a visiting Russian parliamentary delegation on Saturday, state news agency SANA reported.
“The coordination between Syrian and Russian forces during the implementation of air and ground operations has begun to achieve big results in defeating and eradicating terrorism in Syria and Iraq,” Jihad al-Lahham said.
He also defended joint Russian-Syrian operations as “the only legitimate coalition against international terrorism” in a dig at a US-led coalition against the Islamic State group that does not coordinate with Damascus.
Russia began an aerial campaign in Syria on September 30, in response to a request from Damascus.
Moscow says it is targeting IS and other “terrorists,” but Syrian rebels and their backers say Russian strikes have focused on moderate and Islamist fighters, not jihadists.
Russia and Iran have proved staunch allies of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime throughout the uprising against it that begin in March 2011.
Mr Lahham said Syria was working with Russia and Iran “to push forward a political solution in parallel with the fight against terrorism”.
The delegation’s visit to Damascus comes a few days after Assad made a surprise trip to Moscow for talks with President Vladimir Putin.
It was his first known overseas trip since the war in Syria began.
Meanwhile, Syrian media says President Bashar Assad told a visiting Russian delegation that eradicating “terrorist” groups in Syria will lead to the political solution that Damascus and Moscow are seeking.
Assad’s comments were reported Sunday by state media. The brief comments were made during a meeting between Assad and a Russian parliamentary delegation in Damascus.
The top diplomats from Russia, the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Turkey are discussing new ideas to revive a failed political transition in Syria to end the war, now in its fifth year. The push follows a Russian military intervention in Syria, targeting with airstrikes what Moscow and Damascus call “terrorists.”
Assad told the delegation the new Russian role is “the writing of a new history” and will determine the future of the region and the world.
BEIRUT (Reuters) – Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said “the elimination of terrorist groups” would lead to a political solution sought by Syria and Russia, and expressed his appreciation for Russian air strikes in a meeting with a Russian delegation on Sunday, Syrian state media reported.
Earlier the Russian news agency RIA cited a lawmaker who attended the meeting as saying Assad was ready to take part in presidential elections if the Syrian people supported the idea.
SANA’s initial report on the meeting made no mention of a proposal floated by Russia for new presidential and parliamentary elections.
“Eliminating the terrorist organizations will lead to the political solution that we strive for in Syria and Russia,” Assad was quoted as saying by state news agency SANA.
