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Syrian president says Russia ‘strong ally’ seeking world stability

Bashar Assad named stability and political solution as Russia's kkey goals in Syria
People hold photos of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Vladimir Putin during a rally in Damascus (archive) AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File
People hold photos of Syrian President Bashar Assad and Vladimir Putin during a rally in Damascus (archive)
© AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman, File

WASHINGTON, March 30. /TASS/. Russia is a strong ally that is seeking to provide assistance to the political settlement of the crisis in Syria, the country’s president Bashar Assad said in an interview broadcast Sunday on CBS' 60 Minutes.

Moscow definitely wants to "have balance in the world," the Syrian leader said, adding that it's not only about Syria. "It's about the future of the world. They want to be a great power that-have-their own say in the future of this world," Assad said.

Speaking on the key goals of Russia’s policy in Syria, Assad said: "Stability, and political solution."

The Syrian president also said that Iran wants the same. "Syria, and Iran, and Russia, see eye-to-eye regarding these conflicts," he said, adding that Russia has not asked for anything.

"Nothing at all. That's why what I said-they don't do that for Syria," Assad said. Russia is taking steps to resolve the Syrian conflict "for the region, and for the world" because "stability is very important for them," he said.

Assad, who has been fighting Islamist and other rebels since 2011, said in an interview with Russian media outlets last week that Syria would welcome Russia’s greater presence near its shores. "We welcome Russia’s growing presence in the Eastern Mediterranean, in particular, near our shores and in our ports," Assad said.