Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Visits Moscow By Nathan Hodge in Moscow and Dahlia Kholaif in Cairo
http://www.wsj.com/articles/syrian-president-bashar-al-assad-visits-moscow-1445414559
Putin says Syrian government has ‘achieved significantly positive results’ against opposition forces.
MOSCOW—Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in Moscow on an unannounced visit Tuesday, the Russian government said Wednesday, in the leader’s first known trip outside his country since the start of conflict there in March 2011.
In a statement issued by the Kremlin, Russian President said the Syrian government had “achieved significantly positive results” in its fight against an array of opposition forces.
Russia began an aerial-bombardment campaign in support of Mr. Assad’s forces in late September. Mr. Putin said Russia was willing “not only to take the path of military action in the fight against terrorism, but to take the path of a political solution” to end the conflict in Syria.
“It worries us as well—Russia, I mean—that unfortunately a minimum of around 4,000 people from the republics of the former Soviet Union have taken up arms against the government forces and are fighting on the territory of Syria,” Mr. Putin added.
According to the Kremlin statement, Mr. Assad expressed gratitude for Russia’s support.
“Everyone understands that any military action suggests further political steps,” the Syrian president said. “And of course, the common goal for us all should be what the Syrian people want to see for the future of their country.”
The official Syrian Arab News Agency confirmed Wednesday that Mr. Assad met with Mr. Putin at the Russian leader’s invitation, discussing future bilateral military plans and expressing the Syrian people’s gratitude for Russian support.
It said the two leaders had discussed the continuation of military operations against terrorist groups in Syria, using the Syrian government’s term for its opponents, and further joint operations between the two allies.
Mr. Assad also told his Russian counterpart that terrorism is impeding the path to a political solution to the now four-year-old conflict, SANA reported, and said that any military operation by the two countries must be followed by political steps.
The Russian president reiterated his country’s commitment to support Mr. Assad through military and political channels, SANA said, and said he would call on other world powers to look into a potential diplomatic solution to the conflict.
Write to Nathan Hodge at nathan.hodge@wsj.com
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