On Monday, the Kremlin spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, announced that Moscow is arranging a meeting between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties and regional developments. However, Peskov stated that he would only provide details of the visit when they are confirmed, and declined to comment on the timing, saying, “We will inform you in due course.”
On Tuesday, Vedomosti newspaper quoted a diplomatic source close to President Putin’s administration saying that President Assad would arrive in Russia on an official visit in mid-March.
Who Will Lead the Quadripartite Delegations at Wednesday Moscow Meeting ?
The ongoing efforts to normalize relations between Damascus and Ankara remain a topic of significant media and political attention. The issue has gained even more traction following a series of official Turkish leaks regarding the date of the upcoming “quadripartite” meeting in Moscow. Despite these leaks, there has been no official confirmation from the Syrian side regarding the accuracy of this information.
On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian spoke with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov via phone to discuss the upcoming quadripartite meeting. The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced that during the call, the two ministers exchanged views on the meeting, which will include Iran, Russia, Turkey, and Syria, with the aim of finding a solution to the problems between Damascus and Ankara.
According to Turkish diplomatic sources cited by the official Anadolu News Agency, a meeting on Syria will be held in Moscow on March 15th and 16th. The deputy foreign ministers of Turkey, Russia, Iran, and Syria will attend the meeting.
The same Turkish diplomatic sources stated that Deputy Foreign Minister Buraq Akçapar would head the Turkish delegation at the upcoming meeting on Syria in Moscow. The Russian delegation will be led by Mikhail Bogdanov, the Russian President’s special representative to the Middle East and African countries. Iran will be represented by Ali Asghar Khaji, the senior adviser for special political affairs to the Foreign Minister. The Syrian side will be headed by Ayman Sousan, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates.
Despite announcing a specific date for the quadripartite meeting, Damascus has yet to issue an official statement. However, according to Al-Watan sources, discussions are ongoing and serious about ensuring the meeting occurs. If the discussions yield positive results, the meeting may be scheduled anytime. Damascus is seeking guarantees from the Turkish side, including a withdrawal schedule from Syrian territory and a cessation of support for terrorist groups.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
