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The Syrian government is open to allowing Russia to keep its two main military bases on the country’s coast, Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra told The Washington Post on February 6.
The bases in question are the naval base in Tartus port and the Hmeimim air base close to the city of Jableh. Thousands of Russian troops are thought to be still deployed there, in addition to a smaller post in al-Qamishli airport in the northeast of the country.
According to Abu Qasra, Syria would consider allowing Moscow to keep the bases as long as the deal served Damascus’ interests.
“If we get benefits for Syria out of this, yes,” the minister said.
Russia’s stance toward the new Syrian government, too, has “improved significantly” since Assad’s overthrow in December, Abu Qasra told The Washington Post.
“In politics, there are no permanent enemies,” he noted.
Last month, a senior Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, paid a visit to Damascus and met with President Ahamad al-Sharaa. The future of the two bases was discussed. The Syrian leadership also asked Moscow to “address past mistakes” during the talks.
Speaking to Sputnik earlier in the week, Syrian Interior Minister Kaddah said that talks on Russian military presence in the country were still ongoing and that the results will be announced immediately after their completion.
While the recent remarks by both Abu Qasra and Kaddah are positive for Russia, it is still too early to assume that the country will keep its two main bases in Syria.
The country’s government has been under some pressure, mainly from the European Union, to remove the bases. At the same time, the government appears to be well aware that Russia could offer Syria serious help, especially in the military and energy fields.
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ruszki gyerek bevered mindenkinek…???!!!
the maintenance of both russian bases brings money and a certain stability to the country, but unfortunately also the recognition of the sunni criminal regime, which is now in power in damascus
the sunnis represent the majority of the syrian population the sunnis are also the kind of muslim that lives in russia
what are you trying to prove with that statement other then stating the obvious? sunni terrorists are the ones who committed massacres against russian civilians, latest of which was crocus city hall massacre less then a year ago! now this exact same type of subhuman monsters are in power in syria! joulani should get the same treatment.
he should but he wont putin has shown much interest to connect with sunni muslim leaders all around the world while these wer attacking and killing christians and other innocent civilians. most notably turkey and azerbeyshan. the connection to iran while from my perspective the better one is the more od one in the historic perspective.
those bases bring no stability really, we all saw assad’s government vanish while russia still had it’s military in many parts of the country. only thing is that russia pays to keep them open, so i guess money is what brings stability… but also this equals russia financing terrorists cause that’s who the hts regime in damascus is.
these bases are not important to russia, which should just abandon them. syria needs russia. russia does not need syria. a lot of the civil infrastructure depends on russia. syria is heavily indebted to russia. syria needs russia to play off against other factions in the area. russia should just cut its losses, let chumpo, erdogan and nutteryahoo cope with all the chaos.
america has 900+ bases round the world their aim is to target russia/china/iran with missiles why do you think russia should leave its southern flank open to attack ? that’s not military strategy ,as long as russia is there its got a defence in a foreign country -the nearer us missiles are to russia the shorter time till they arrive.
why do you think america/uk/eu complain bitterly about russia having missiles in kaliningrad ?
why do the russians bother having missiles in kalingrad, would putin ever actually fire them on his beloved (((western partners)))
cynicism doesn’t win wars action does and regardless of what you think russia is winning -having been brainwashed by america,s propaganda in its “shock & awe ” wars killing nearly 30 million world citizens since 1948 mr.putin is doing it without killing millions of civilians if russia did what you want you would be on here criticizing him .
russia doesn’t have an army that is able to properly force project, the rothchilds don’t allow the russians 100s of trillions of dollars in deficit spending to build an american style military capable of world domination.
sorry vanya you are not up to scratch on a countries economic situation ,the very last thing russia needs is to be in-debt to the world bank european central bank and other banks influenced by the usa,south america has now wised up -russian foreign debt is one of the lowest in the world therefore its not beholding to the usa russian growth exceeds germany .
what are the benefits for russia? they have another place to give away “free” stuff?
europe kept russia,s, “free stuff ” as you put it instead of sending it to poor african countries like russia does.
how can russia be on good terms with a government that is allowing syrians to be fuckin executed by headchoppers in broad daylight? makes zero sense
will russia now join the list of terrorist supporters like usa, erdoganistan, israel, eu? bowing down to inhuman terrorist sectarian pigs less then a year since those same terrorist monsters committed the crocus city hall massacre?! if russia was a serious country that cares about humanity it would spare 5 or so oreshniks to eliminate heads of the hts regime! and before that leave syria so their soldiers are safe, they can open new bases in other countries.