Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov’s visit to Damascus on Dec. 10-11 drew the attention of many. After the Russian official met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Damascus issued an official statement about the meeting, stating that Assad stressed, “Russia has always stood by the Syrian people and proved that it supports people’s right to self-determination and respects the sovereignty of states and international laws.” Moreover, Assad also said, “Syria is confident that any Russian diplomatic action will be based on these principles, and on this basis it deals positively with the efforts exerted by Russia and aimed at finding a solution to the crisis.”
Lübnan Marunîleri / Yasin Atlıoğlu
