Russia may be allowed to keep military bases: Syrian MoD
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Syria's new Defense Minister, Muhraf Abu Qasra, says the government is pragmatically forging new alliances while reassessing old ones.
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Syria's newly appointed Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, undated (Social Media/X)
Syria's new Defense Minister Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra stated that Syria is open to allowing Russia to maintain its air and naval bases along the Mediterranean coast, provided that any agreement with Moscow serves Syria's national interests.
In an interview with the Washington Post, Abu Qasra explained that the Syrian government is adopting a pragmatic approach, reassessing and forming new alliances while reconsidering old ones that were established under the previous regime.
He emphasized that Russia's stance toward the new Syrian government has "improved significantly" since the fall of the Assad regime in December, and similarly, the Syrian government's position toward Moscow has shifted, signaling a change in their strategic approach.
Abu Qasra also revealed that Syria is exploring the possibility of defense agreements with multiple countries and is engaged in sensitive negotiations with the United States and Turkiye concerning the status of their military bases in the country.
What is the fate of former President al-Assad?
Abu Qasra stopped short of confirming whether Syria's interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, explicitly requested al-Assad's extradition during last month's meeting with Russian officials, but admitted that "the issue of holding al-Assad accountable was discussed."
The Russian delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, declined to comment on whether al-Assad's situation was a topic of discussion during the meeting.
Bogdanov conveyed gratitude for the safety of Russian citizens and facilities during recent events, as reported by Russia's state-run TASS news agency regarding the January 28 talks with al-Sharaa, adding that an agreement on Russia’s military presence “requires additional in-depth negotiations.”
It is worth noting that Russia has significantly scaled back its presence in Syria, consolidating its personnel and military assets to just two key facilities in Tartus and Latakia. These locations hold immense strategic importance for Moscow, particularly the naval base, which provides Russia with a critical warm-water port on the Mediterranean.
Last month, Syria terminated a contract with a Russian company managing the commercial operations of Tartus port, Syrian officials reported. However, the status of Russia's military presence in the port remains uncertain.
