“The two countries are persuaded that their military and technical cooperation do not disturb the military power in the region and are exerted on a universally recognized legal basis”, affirmed December 13, 2010, the diplomat, at the conclusion of a meeting with the Syrian Minister for the Foreign affairs, Wallid El Mouallem. According to the Russian emissary, the negotiations related to the development of the bilateral cooperation in various fields, including the armaments.
Mr. Saltanov also quoted transport and energy among the key sectors of the co-operation Russo-Syrian woman.
This co-operation received a strong impulse in May 2010, at the time of the visit of President Dmitri Medvedev in Damas. It is the first time of the history which a Head of the Russian State went in the Syrian capital. The visit was marked by the signature of a series of agreements in the field of communication and information technologies (TIC) and of an intergovernmental agreement as regards air traffic.
Syria is the only Mediterranean country who accepts Russian warships. Moscow intends to deploy heavy ships, including aircraft carriers, in the old Soviet naval base of Tartous, whose modernization must end in 2012.