Moscow announced that a Russian high-profile delegation with representatives from both the foreign and defense ministries met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The delegation discussed the situation in Syria and means to push for a political settlement. It included Russian president’s special envoy for Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and representatives from the Russian defense ministry.
Efforts to eliminate the remaining nests of terrorists in Syria and problems of the political settlement process in that country were in focus of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s meeting with a visiting delegation of senior Russian foreign and defense ministry officials, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday.
"The meeting focused on the situation in and around Syria, efforts to ensure lasting stabilization, elimination of remaining terrorists’ nests, as well as on measures of comprehensive humanitarian assistance to all those who need it in Syria. It will promote voluntary and safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons," the ministry said.
"Apart from that, the sides discussed the process of the United Nations-backed political settlement carried out by the Syrians, including the work of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva," the ministry said.
Sources, speaking under the conditions of anonymity, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the visit was arranged quickly to inform a Russian message to the Syrian leadership.
The message, according to sources, is that the mission of United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, who is visiting Damascus on Wednesday, should be successful.
This came against the backdrop of Russian dissatisfaction over the Syrian government procrastinating works of the Constitutional Committee and state failure to show sufficient support for the international envoy.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov had met with Pedersen in Moscow to discuss the Syrian peace process.
