Al-Shaibani: We Are Reevaluating the Role of Russian Bases in Tartus and Khmeimim
Asaad Al-Shaibani, Syrian Foreign Minister in the Transitional Government, stated that the Syrian government is reassessing the current role of Russian forces in the country, particularly at the Khmeimim and Tartus bases, emphasizing that the new phase requires a “reset” of relations with Moscow in a way that serves the interests of the Syrian people.
In an interview with the Syrian News Channel on Saturday evening, Al-Shaibani questioned, “What is the role of the Russian bases now in Syria?” He revealed that on December 6, 2024, a meeting was held under the direction of the head of the Syrian Transitional Government, Ahmad Al-Shar’, with the Russian side, two days before the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, aiming to neutralize Russian forces from the battles taking place at that time to topple the previous regime.
Al-Shaibani explained that the Syrian negotiating delegation informed the Russians that what was happening was a regime change, not a shift in international alliances, affirming that agreements not conflicting with the interests of the Syrian people would remain in place. He added, “The wisdom in any victory lies in managing change rationally, preserving national interests without harming the country.”
The minister confirmed that Damascus is currently conducting a comprehensive review of all agreements made with Russia during the previous regime period, clarifying that “no new agreements have been signed so far, and there are currently no active agreements between the two countries.”
Al-Shaibani pointed out that the Russian bases in Syria have become a subject of negotiation and reevaluation regarding their role, noting that Russian forces have reduced their presence, limiting it to the Khmeimim and Tartus bases. He said, “The current presence can be considered suspended, and it is necessary to determine its nature if it remains.”
He added that these issues were raised during talks between the head of the Transitional Government, Ahmad Al-Shar’, and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow a few days ago, which also addressed the future of military and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov had stated ten days ago that his country’s forces would not remain in Syria if the transitional Syrian leadership rejected that, affirming that Moscow “respects Damascus’s sovereignty and decisions.”
It is worth noting that Al-Shar’ visited Moscow on October 15 for a one-day working visit, during which he held an extensive two-and-a-half-hour meeting with President Putin, expressing his government’s desire to reorganize relations with Russia and demanding the handover of Bashar al-Assad and several former regime officials to Damascus for trial.
