Syrian President Receives Russian Foreign Minister
Syrian president Bashar al-Assad received on Tuesday Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, at a time when Syria is the target of increased hostility from the West and some Arab allies determined to force a change of government.
Syrian television broadcast images of the meeting at the Presidential Palace in this capital, but it gave no details of the discussions between the partners. Lavrov will also meet with his counterpart Walid al-Moallen.
There has been journalistic speculation around this visit, but in practice there is nothing official at this point on the discussions between al-Assad and Lavrov, nor on the purpose of the visit of the Russian Foreign Minister.
The meeting takes place after Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on Saturday, considering it inappropriate to proomote peace and stability in Syria. The draft resolution was sponsored by the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Morocco, with the support of Persian Gulf oil monarchies, to force a regime change in Damascus.
The visit also occurs in the midst of a recrudescent anti-Syrian campaign and an increase of terrorist attacks by armed groups that in recent days have converted neighborhoods of the city of Homs into a living hell, as described by residents to TV Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered today at the southern intersection of Mezzeh Avenue and along part of that avenue to welcome the Russian Foreign Minister, and to express the appreciation of the Syrian people to Russia for its support in such sensitive and dangerous times for peace, harmony and stability in the country.
The participants carried Syrian and Russian flags, and also made balloon figures with the Russian national colors, red, white and blue.
SANA news agency reported from Aleppo that at the same time a huge march culminated in a massive concentration in the city's main square Saadallah al-Jabiri, the biggest in Syria, where Russia has a consulate, in appreciation of Russia's position of rejecting foreign interference and in support of national unity.