TUNIS, November 16. /TASS/. Minister of defense in Syria’s transitional government, Murhaf Abu Qasra, has received a visiting Russian delegation led by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov.

"The sides discussed areas of military cooperation and ways to strengthen mechanisms of coordination on the basis of shared interests and aspiration of the two countries," the Syrian defense ministry said.

The Al Arabiya television channel reported earlier that US and Turkish delegations had also arrived in Damascus to discuss security issues with the Syrian government.

The Syrian defense minister paid an official visit to Russia in July and held talks with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov.