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Agreement on bases in Syria to serve strengthening of stability in Middle East — MP

Russia and Syria have signed an agreement on an enlargement of the Tarutus naval facility area for a period of 49 years

Tartus REUTERS/SANA

Tartus

© REUTERS/SANA

MOSCOW, January 20. /TASS/. The signing of a Russian-Syrian agreement on the Russian naval base in Tartus will serve the strengthening of stability across the entire Middle East and it has a potential for exerting beneficial influence on the inter-Syrian political dialogue, State Duma member Sergei Zheleznyak, a deputy secretary general of the United Russia party political council said on Friday.

"The signing of this Russian-Syrian agreement on an enlargement of the territory of the naval facility in Tartus for 49 years will help protect the Syrian people from the terrorist threat and, on top of that, will make it possible to consolidate stability across the Middle Eastern region," Zheleznyak said.

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Moscow cements deal with Damascus to keep 49-year presence at Syrian naval and air bases

He confirmed the State Duma would consider the agreement as a priority document after it passed the standard procedures. "They won’t take up much time because we already have a similar agreement with Syria on the stationing of our base at Hmeymim there," he said.

People of Syria have seen with their own eyes during the period of joint operations against terrorism in their country that Russia respects national sovereignty and the right of nations to self-determination and seeks to safeguard peace, Zheleznyak said.

"The successful military operations and Russia’s skillful diplomatic efforts in supporting the allies have brought about ceasefire across Syria," he recalled. "Russia is giving military assistance and, in addition to it, considerable humanitarian aid to Syria by saving civilians’ lives from famine and diseases, clearing the populated localities of mines and returning peace to the Syrian land."

"The agreement that has strategic significance for the whole region is capable of exerting influence on the inter-Syrian dialogue and it will help Russian specialists to give highly qualified to the Syrians in rebuilding their devastated economy and the social sector," Zheleznyak said.

Earlier on Friday, Russia and Syria signed an agreement on an enlargement of the Tarutus naval facility area for a period of 49 years. Russia will be able to deploy up to eleven naval ships simultaneously there.

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