MOSCOW, January 27. /TASS/. Efforts to eliminate the remaining nests of terrorists in Syria and problems of the political settlement process in that country were in focus of Syrian President Bashar Assad’s meeting with a visiting delegation of senior Russian foreign and defense ministry officials, the Russian foreign ministry said on Monday.

The delegation included Russian president’s special envoy for Syrian settlement Alexander Lavrentyev and Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and representatives from the Russian defense ministry.

"The meeting focused on the situation in and around Syria, efforts to ensure lasting stabilization, elimination of remaining terrorists’ nests, as well as on measures of comprehensive humanitarian assistance to all those who need it in Syria. It will promote voluntary and safe return of refugees and internally displaced persons," the ministry said.

"Apart from that, the sides discussed the process of the United Nations-backed political settlement carried out by the Syrians, including the work of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva," the ministry said.

Lavrentyev and Vershinin have already visited Damascus several times. Their previous meeting with President Assad took place in December 2019.