On May 10, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of the Syrian Arab Republic Faisal Mekdad at the Foreign Ministry.

During the trust-based talks, the heads of the two foreign ministries discussed current issues on the international and regional agendas. They had an in-depth discussion on the situation evolving in Syria and around it, with a focus on the efforts to promote the comprehensive settlement of the Syrian crisis based on the effective role of the Astana format.

Special attention was given to the issues of a constructive dialogue between Damascus and other countries in the region based on the principles of unconditional respect for the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic. In this context, the two foreign ministers noted positive dynamics in the process of restoring Syria’s ties with the Arab countries ahead of the [upcoming] League of Arab States Summit in Saudi Arabia.

While discussing the humanitarian situation in Syria, the two ministers emphasised the need for stepping up international relief efforts following the recent earthquake in Syria, as well as international aid to Damascus to help it rebuild the country after the end of the conflict. They also stressed the importance of further active efforts to motivate Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons to return to their places of residence by creating appropriate conditions that will allow them to make a living.

The two foreign ministers reviewed the priority objectives for continuing to strengthen the diverse partnership between Russia and Syria, including efforts to promote economic cooperation and trade.