Comment by the Information and Press Department on the visit of Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Walid Muallem to Moscow

On October 27-29, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Walid Muallem will come to Russia on a working visit at the invitation of Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

The two ministers’ talks on October 28 will focus on the military, political and humanitarian situation in Syria. They will discuss the developments in Aleppo, the efforts of the Russian and Syrian military, who continue fighting the ISIS and Jabhat Al-Nusra, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, primarily food, medicines and first necessities.

Syria is one of Russia’s leading partners in the Middle East and North Africa. Our people enjoy a long-standing friendship and mutual cooperation based on true respect for each other’s interests.

We value the level of trust-based dialogue and close interaction between Russia and Syria on current international and regional issues, as well as on the bilateral agenda, including settling crises.

In its approach to Syrian issues, Russia abides by the principles of sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Syria, and its secular nature. We believe that political means are the only way to solve the crisis in that country and insist on the earliest resumption of intra-Syrian talks to bring peace and security back to Syria.