Putin, King Hamad Agree on Syrians’ Right to Decide Their Fate
Near the black sea at the Russian city Sochi, President Vladimir Putin confirmed King of Bahrain, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, that Russia considered Bahrain to be an important partner in the Gulf and Middle East. Meanwhile Russia and Bahrain continue to develop necessary mechanisms to cooperate despite the difficult economy, Putin said.
His Highness King Hamad expressed his appreciation on being invited to visit Russia and stated that it is a great opportunity to both exchange perspectives on providing common interests in addition to the discussion of developments in the Middle East. His Highness affirmed the capacity the two countries have to overcome current economic difficulties.
In a press conference, attended by both countries’ foreign ministers, the Russian FM Sergey Lavrov said that both King Hamad and Putin have discussed questions of dual cooperation and regional suits. They also discussed the Syrian crisis and the Middle East, Lavrov said.
FM Lavrov also added that both sides have reached an agreement on the necessity of a peaceful settlement and people’s right to self-determination without foreign interference.
Both parties have agreed on specifying priorities. Fighting terrorism, ranks top on that list.
However, they have also agreed on the significance of resolving current conflicts in the Middle East in peace endorsing methods. There shouldn’t be an approval on any operations that could result in countries falling apart. Both King Hamad and Putin have attended the subject on the Syrian crisis and confirmed both the global community’s view point on the situation and the utter commitment to the Security Council resolution 2254. They also asserted their support for the Syrian on Syrian negotiations, which is the way for Syrians towards determining the fate of their own country.
“first of all, priorities for the world community must be determined, namely irreconcilable fight against terrorism, peaceful settlement of conflict situations, inadmissibility of actions that leads to disintegration of states”, Lavrov said.
“We will be offering such support through the International Syria Support Group that will meet for a next session in Munich on February 11,” he said
Lavrov said Russia and Bahrain “want to see Syria a stable country in which the foundations of a secular state are fixed, the country which ensures its territorial integrity, the country in which the rights of all without exception citizens are guaranteed”.
“These are the principles that we see underlining for the settlement of other conflicts in the region: those in Libya and Yemen, as well as the situation around Iraq, Afghanistan”. “We pay particular attention to a need to boost effort of the global community towards contribution to the Palestinian-Israeli settlement on a just international basis,” he said.
The Russian FM revealed an approximate 20 project cooperation on common investments in all spheres and the collaboration within the sector of Liquefied natural gas (LNG). Sputnik News Agency reported the Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa Bahraini FM stating, during the press conference, that king Hamad has praised the Russian President, Russian government, and its affectionate people’s role in contributing to help the Syrians out of their crisis.
Sputnik reported that the meeting was held in the Presidential resort in Sochi and attended by Russian FM Sergey Lavrov and Putin’s deputy chief of staff Yuri Ushakov, alongside the Bahrani Deputy Prime Minister Mohammad bin Mubarak Al Khalifa and Bahrain’s FM Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa.