After Promising Visit To Russia, Syria’s Foreign Minister Says No Agreements Were Reached

Click to see full-size image. (Al-Ikhbariyah)

Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani announced on October 18 that Damascus is holding extensive discussions with Russia to reassess earlier bilateral accords, while stressing that no new agreements have been finalized.

“There are no agreements at this time. We have not yet reached any new ones. The main point of any talks with Russia is to review the old agreements,” Shaibani said in an interview with the state-run Al-Ikhbariyah TV.

He noted that the talks include the status of Russian military bases in Syria. Two bases remain on the coast of the country: Hmeimim Air Base near the city of Jabelh and a naval facility at the port of Tartus.

“Russian bases in Syria are the subject of negotiations between Damascus and Moscow,” Shaibani added.

In the same interview, Shaibani said that Russia was a partner of the former Syrian regime and “participated in Syrians’ misery.”

These remarks came shortly after interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa’s visit to Moscow, where he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the future of bilateral cooperation, regional stability, and the role of Russia’s military bases. Reports that surfaced right after the visit, which took place on October 15, suggested that the two sides have reached an understanding, at least on the military bases.

In fact, Sharaa himself told Putin in front of the press that he would honor all past deals struck between his country and Moscow.

“We respect all past agreements and are working to redefine the nature of these relations in a way that ensures Syria’s independence and national sovereignty,” the Syrian interim president was quoted by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency as saying at the time.

Shaibani’s latest remarks were clearly a step back by Damascus. One possibility is that Syria is just attempting to appease Russia for the time being, without giving anything in return for real. The main goal would be to prevent Moscow from vetoing a draft resolution proposed by the United States to the United Nations Security Council to remove international sanctions imposed on Syria.

During Sharaa’s visit to Moscow, Joe Wilson, a U.S. Representative who has been leading efforts in Washington left sanctions on Syria, demanded the closure of Russian military bases in the country.

“All efforts must be made to remove murderous War Criminal Putin bases from Syria!” Wilson, who met Sharaa earlier this year, wrote on X on October 15.

Furthermore, just a day after the Shaibai interview was aired, U.S. Ambassador and Special Envoy Tom Barrack wrote on X “Syria is back to our side,” commenting on reports of a joint American-Syrian counter-terrorism operation that took place near Damascus.

All of these recent developments, including the remarks by Shaibani, hint at efforts to permanently move Syria away from Russia.

There is another possibility, however. Shaibani’s latest remarks may have been simply aimed at cooling down some of the hot heads in Syria, mainly those who lashed out at the government after Sharaa’s visit to Moscow and demanded a complete Russian withdrawal from the country.

Of course, both possibilities highlight the problems facing the new government in Damascus which has already made so many promises to so many sides. Sharaa will eventually have to make decisions, and face the consequences.

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