Syrian TV: President Assad meets Putin in Moscow

[webfact]

Syrian TV: President Assad meets Putin in Moscow

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP) — President Bashar Assad has traveled to Moscow in his first known trip abroad since the war broke out in Syria in 2011 to meet his strongest ally Russian leader Vladimir Putin, Syrian and Russian media reported Wednesday.

A statement posted on the Syrian presidency's official Facebook page said Assad met with Putin on Tuesday to discuss the continuation of the military operations against terrorism in Syria. The aim of the military operation is to eradicate terrorism that is obstructing a political solution, the statement said.

The post included a photo of Assad with a wide smile shaking hands with Putin. Russian television showed footage of Putin and Russia's foreign and defense ministers meeting with Assad and his adviser.

Putin thanked Assad for "accepting our invitation and coming to Moscow despite a tragic situation in your country."

Assad praised Russia's anti-terror efforts since the beginning of his country's war. "Terrorism which we see spreading today could have been more widespread and more harmful if it weren't for your decisions and steps, not only in our region," Assad said in remarks carried by Arab media.

This is the embattled Syrian leader's first known trip abroad since 2011. Syria's conflict began in March 2001 after the government reacted with a violent crackdown to largely peaceful protests against Assad's rule. The protests gradually became an armed insurgency and a civil war that has killed a quarter of a million people in the past five years.

Russia has airstrikes against insurgents in Syria on Sept. 30, saying it is fighting terrorism. Critics and the U.S. say the Moscow military intervention helps props up Assad and is likely to fan the violence.

"Terrorism is an obstacle to a political solution," the Syrian presidency statement quoted Assad as saying. Syria's Ikhbariyah news channel quoted Assad as saying that the Russian airstrikes have helped stop the expansion of the "terrorist" organizations in Syria. The TV station quoted Assad as saying that any military action must be followed by political steps.

Putin added that along with fighting militants, Moscow believes that "a long-term settlement can only be achieved as part of a political process with the participation of all political forces, ethnic and religious groups.

"The Syrian people have been putting up a fight against international terrorism effectively on its own for several years, sustaining sizeable losses but it has achieved positive results recently," Putin said.


-- (c) Associated Press 2015-10-21

[canopus1969]

Now if only one of those rockets that did not down the Malaysian flight could somehow be pointing up at his return flight

[TimmyT]

Now if only one of those rockets that did not down the Malaysian flight could somehow be pointing up at his return flight

why not point one of this rockets up during David Cameron next foreign visit?

His country killed more people (all over the globe) than any Assad or Hussein could dream of!

and I didn't start to speak about the biggest killer yet...

Edited October 21, 2015 by TimmyT

[Chicog]

Now if only one of those rockets that did not down the Malaysian flight could somehow be pointing up at his return flight

why not point one of this rockets up during David Cameron next foreign visit?

I don't remember David Cameron dropping Barrel Bombs on his own people (although if he ever goes to Stoke he may change his mind).

Edited October 21, 2015 by Chicog

[uksomchai]

Now if only one of those rockets that did not down the Malaysian flight could somehow be pointing up at his return flight

why not point one of this rockets up during David Cameron next foreign visit?

I don't remember David Cameron dropping Barrel Bombs on his own people (although if he ever goes to Stoke he may change his mind).

A bit like the nasty Iraqi praetorian guard bayoneting babies out of their incubators in Kuwait you mean ?

Or the weapons of mass destruction that Saddam could make ready to attack the UK in 40 minutes ?

Putin is the only leader who has the permission of the legitimate Syrian Government to be in Syria doing what he is. The others have no legal mandate to be bombing the country at all.

Can you honestly tell me that Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya and now democratic, peaceful and stable countries after the West decided to remove their leaders ? Or that the removal of Assad will be any different to the others ?

[tumama]

Now if only one of those rockets that did not down the Malaysian flight could somehow be pointing up at his return flight

Yawn. Another one of those making another baseless claim that Putin had anything to do with it. Talk is cheap...

But you are very quiet when it comes to NATO war crimes, that are happening right now.

I don't know where you are from. But me, as a European, I am very grateful that Putin is spending millions of Russian tax money on eradicating ISIS and other terrorists in Syria. If U.S had done the same thing we would not have had this migrant crisis in Europe we are seeing right now. The media only wants to talk how much the migrants costs are. I want to know how they are going to permanently resolve it. We should thank Putin for resolving it for us.

And what we should definitely not do, is come up with baseless lies when it comes to Russia. Sure criticize Russia all you want, but use actual, not imaginary criticism. And do it for a purpose, don't let yourself be a pawn for U.S foreign policy interests.

[tumama]

I don't remember David Cameron dropping Barrel Bombs on his own people (although if he ever goes to Stoke he may change his mind).

I don't remember Assad doing that either. But I am not surprised you get spoon fed with the same media that brought you the illegal invasion of Iraq. Not to mention that NATO is not only invading Syrian air space illegally, they are also bombing Syria illegally. I guess you are so used to your governments committing war crimes you don't even notice it anymore. And it's not like your government controlled media is going to mention it either.

There is really no difference between you and the Nazis. Blindly following your government's illegal actions without questioning.

Edited October 21, 2015 by tumama

[Chicog]

I don't remember David Cameron dropping Barrel Bombs on his own people (although if he ever goes to Stoke he may change his mind).

I don't remember Assad doing that either. But I am not surprised you get spoon fed with the same media that brought you the illegal invasion of Iraq. Not to mention that NATO is not only invading Syrian air space illegally, they are also bombing Syria illegally. I guess you are so used to your governments committing war crimes you don't even notice it anymore. And it's not like your government controlled media is going to mention it either.

There is really no difference between you and the Nazis. Blindly following your government's illegal actions without questioning.

Assad hasn't used barrel bombs? Yeah right.