BEIRUT, January 19, 14:17 /ITAR-TASS/. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has expressed gratitude to Russia “for its constant support and humanitarian aid.”
At a meeting with Russian parliamentarians, he said, “unlike other countries that promise to help more in word than in deed Russia sends humanitarian consignments to Syria on a permanent basis.”
Only Syrian people will decide during the election “who the country’s future president will be,” Bashar al-Assad said. “The Syrians will decide on their own, who deserves the right to run in the presidential race,” he said.
A member of the State Duma energy committee, Alexander Yushchenko, who attended the meeting, told Itar-Tass that al-Assad made it clear that he was ready to run in the election race and had no intention to leave the political arena. Yushchenko also said, that al-Assad focused attention “on importance of pooling efforts in the fight against terrorism.” At the same time he noted that “Syria that counteracts extremist groups stands on the frontline of this confrontation, defending not only its people, but also people of friendly countries.