BEIRUT, December 10 /TASS/. Syria regards as positive Russia’s peace efforts aimed at settling the Syrian crisis, Syrian President Bashar Assad said on Wednesday.

“We are sure that any Russian diplomatic initiative will be based on the principles of respect for our national sovereignty,” Assad said.

The Syrian president also met Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian president’s Special Representative for the Middle East and Africa, to discuss the resumption of a political settlement in the light of Russia’s initiative to provide the “Moscow floor” for contacts between Syrian government representatives and the Syrian opposition.

“Serious steps aimed at fighting terrorism and deterring countries which have taken extremists under their wing are needed to ensure the success of any efforts to settle the (Syrian) crisis,” Syrian news agency SANA reported, commenting on Assad’s meeting with Bogdanov.