Syrian officials and oppositionn figures have met at the Russian Embassy reception in Damascus and exchange handshakes and hugs, media sources have said.
Russia's national day reception and attended by diplomatic representatives in in Syria. Syrian officials that attended included vice president Najah al-Attar, along with the chairman of the People's Assembly, a representative of the Baath party leadership, two deputy prime ministers, the ministers of defense, culture and presidency, and senior presidential aide, Bouthaina Shaaban and deputy foreign minister, Faisal Mekdad.
Opposition figures that attended included the general coordinator of the National Coordination Commission (NCC), Hassan Abdul Azim and the leader of the Building the State Movement group, Louay Hussein.
According to sources, the Syrian officials and opposition figures exchanged handshakes and hugs.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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