Basic settings: Syria intends to restart relations with Russia

Vladimir Putin's historic meeting with the new president of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, took place in the Kremlin. The leadership of the Arab republic has announced that Russia will have a serious role in the development of the "new Syria," but relations between Moscow and Damascus are waiting for a "restart." Experts are convinced that this also applies to the agreements concluded by the Russian Federation with former leader Bashar al-Assad, who led the country for almost 25 years. Vladimir Putin stressed that the Russian Federation had deep ties with the Syrian people, and relations between the two countries had always been exceptionally friendly. He also called the parliamentary elections held there a great success. What fate awaits the Russian bases in Syria and what, most likely, the leaders discussed in the closed part of the talks — in the Izvestia article.

Putin's first meeting with the new leadership of Syria

On October 15, the new head of Syria, Ahmed al—Sharaa, arrived in Russia, who came to power after the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, who led the republic for almost 25 years. These are the first Russian-Syrian talks at the highest level after the change of power in the republic. The Kremlin has already called this day important for the relations between the two countries.

After Ahmed al-Sharaa came to power in Damascus, Moscow established working contacts with the new Syrian leadership gradually, avoiding drastic steps. In July, Syrian Foreign Minister Asad al-Shibani visited Russia. Then, for the first time, the parties announced a revision of the agreements between Moscow and Damascus, and decided to bring the legal framework of bilateral cooperation in line with the new political conditions. And already in September, the Russian delegation paid a return visit — led by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak, another meeting was held in Damascus with the Syrian Foreign Minister, at which the parties announced their intention to "open a new page" in bilateral relations.

Al-Shar's visit was a logical continuation of this course. Vladimir Putin welcomed the Syrian delegation to the Kremlin, starting negotiations in a narrow format with a short excursion into bilateral relations between Moscow and Damascus. For example, diplomatic relations between the two countries have been developing for over 80 years, and they were established during the most difficult times for the Soviet Union — in 1944.

— We have really deep ties with the Syrian people. Suffice it to say that hundreds, maybe thousands, of people are connected by marriage and friendship. And now over four thousand Syrian young people are studying at higher educational institutions of the Russian Federation. And I really hope that they will make a significant contribution to the development and strengthening of the Syrian statehood in the future," Vladimir Putin said.

The Syrian leader thanked for the reception and continued the conversation vector set by the Russian leader about long-term historical ties. However, he promised that relations with Moscow and, in general, with the entire world community, would undergo a serious reset.

— Today we are living in a new day of a new Syria, we are also introducing this new Syria to the world, and the world is getting to know the new Syria. We rely on the many successes that Russia has allowed us to achieve, it has helped us in various fields, and we are connected by serious bridges of cooperation, including material ones. We will also continue to work in the future. We will try to restart the complex of our relations and introduce you, among others, to the new Syria," Ahmed al-Sharaa said.

At the same time, the most important thing now is stability in the country and the region, he stressed. On October 5, parliamentary elections were held in Syria. Vladimir Putin called this a great success, as it leads to the consolidation of society. "Despite the fact that Syria is going through difficult times right now, it will strengthen ties and interaction between all political forces," he concluded in the open part of the talks.

How will relations between Moscow and Damascus develop now?

According to orientalist Kirill Semenov, Ash-Shar's visit demonstrates that relations between Russia and Syria are still of a strategic nature and are developing steadily, covering a wide range of areas. The expert noted that the meeting in the Kremlin actually consolidated the final legitimization of the new Syrian authorities in the eyes of Moscow.

— Any reservations about the "necessity" of certain contacts that were promoted in the West have been completely disavowed. Russia and Syria were able to overcome the burden of the past and, if not bring relations to a new qualitative level, then restore their positive dynamics, which opens up broad strategic prospects," the expert told Izvestia.

Now Moscow and Damascus are delineating new contours of bilateral relations. Over the years of cooperation, including under Bashar al—Assad, Russia and Syria have developed close ties in many areas, in particular in the military-technical sphere. The Kremlin assumed that in the closed part of the talks, Putin and al-Sharaa would somehow touch upon the topic of Russian bases in Syria — the naval logistics center in Tartus and the Khmeimim airbase in Latakia. By the way, the Russian delegation includes Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. Consultations in this area, as noted in the Russian Foreign Ministry, are ongoing and also concern the safety of Russian citizens. The media reported that the Syrian side had expressed interest in resuming patrols of the southern provinces by the Russian military police, which, according to Damascus, could limit Israel's activity in the border areas. According to media reports, Russia has already conducted its first patrol after the change of power — near Al-Qamishli in the northeast of the country.

Kirill Semenov also stressed that Russia's military presence remains an important stabilizing factor at the moment. According to him, Russian bases can be used to stop new terrorist threats emanating from ISIS (the organization is banned in the Russian Federation), as well as serve as an element of support for the new Syrian authorities from external pressure.

Most likely, other areas have also been affected. In recent years, Moscow and Damascus have signed many contracts in the infrastructure, energy and transport sectors, but some of them were concluded on different terms and require updating. According to Vladimir Akhmedov, a researcher at the Center for the Study of General Problems of the Modern East at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the revision of economic agreements is a necessary step. In an interview with Izvestia, he noted that economic and military-technical relations form the basis of bilateral cooperation, and without revising old agreements, the implementation of new projects will be difficult.