Syrian President Bashar al-Assad says the eradication of terrorist groups in Syria will pave the way for a “political” solution to the crisis in the Arab country.
Assad made the remarks during a meeting with a Russian parliamentary delegation headed by Sergei Gavrilov, the chairman of the State Duma’s Committee on Property Affairs, in the Syrian capital, Damascus, on Sunday.
“Eradicating terrorist organizations would lead to the political solution that we, in Syria and Russia, seek in a way that satisfies the Syrian people and protects Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity,” the Syrian president said.
He said that the ongoing fight against terrorism in Syria would determine the future of the Middle East and that a victory over terrorism will safeguard all regional states.
The Syrian president thanked Russia for its aerial campaign against the Takfiri militants operating inside Syria, adding that the Russian stance necessitates “writing a new history because this war will determine the future of the region and the world.”
Russia kicked off a bombing campaign in Syria on September 30 at the request of the Syrian government, targeting the positions of Daesh and other terrorist groups in the country.
Members of the Russian delegation said during the meeting that Russia supports the efforts made by Assad in countering terrorism, which sets the foundation for bringing back peace and stability to Syria.
'Ready for elections'
After the meeting, Alexander Yushchenko, a Russian legislator who attended the meeting with Assad, said the Syrian president has expressed preparedness to run for another seven-year term in office in a future presidential election should the Arab nation support such a move.
“He is ready to conduct elections with the participation of all political forces who want Syria to prosper,” the Russian lawmaker said.
“At our meeting, Mr. Assad announced his readiness to discuss changes to the Constitution of Syria, as well as hold free parliamentary elections with the participation of all political forces committed to the prosperity of the Syrian Republic,” the Russian parliamentarian pointed out.
The foreign-sponsored conflict in Syria, which flared in March 2011, has claimed the lives of more than 250,000 people and left over one million injured, according to the United Nations.
The world body says 12.2 million people, including more than 5.6 million children, remain in need of humanitarian assistance.
The crisis has displaced 7.6 million people.
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