MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Moscow and Damascus are closely coordinating their steps on all key issues on the international agenda, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in a congratulatory address on the 80th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Russia and Syria.

His address was read out to the participants in a roundtable meeting at the Russian foreign ministry’s Diplomatic Academy by Russian presidential envoy for the Middle East and North Africa and Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov.

"It is welcome that at the current stage of the development of bilateral relations, Moscow and Damascus are closely coordinating their steps on all the key issues on the international agenda. Such mutual support has special significance in the current difficult geopolitical environment," the minister noted.

Lavrov emphasized that the rich history of Russian-Syrian ties "convincingly proves that the Soviet Union and then the Russian Federation has always been committed to Syria’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and political independence." "We have always insisted that it is up to the Syrian people to decide about their future without any interference from outside, as is committed to paper in the United Nations Security Council resolution. We hold this position today as well," he added.