Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said that his government is negotiating with Russia and Turkey about the future of their military presence in Syria, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
In an interview with the “New York Times“ Al-Sharaa stressed that any possible future agreement must respect Syria's sovereignty and regional security. The newspaper specified that the interview with al-Sharaa took place “this month”, but did not specify an exact date.
“We told all parties that this military presence must comply with the legal framework of Syria”, the Syrian leader said, adding that any possible agreement should not allow foreign forces to pose a threat to neighboring countries from Syria's territory.
Russia, which was a long-time ally of the former regime of Bashar al-Assad, continues to maintain military bases in Syria, DPA noted.
Al-Sharaa acknowledged Syria's heavy dependence on Russian-made weapons, as well as on existing agreements in areas such as food and energy.
“At the moment, we have no offers from other countries to replace Syrian weapons”, he said.
Al-Sharaa also confirmed that Moscow had rejected a request for extradition of Bashar al-Assad, who fled to Russia in December.
As Syria enters a new political phase, several countries are vying for influence, DPA notes.
Russia wants to maintain its military and political presence, especially along the Syrian coast.
Turkey is focusing on the north of the country and is trying to limit Kurdish autonomy and help return refugees.
Israel continues to carry out strikes to assert its own strategic interests in the region.
Al-Sharaa now faces the challenge of winning the West's trust despite his past ties to extremist groups. His ability to reorient Syria on the diplomatic front will likely influence the level of foreign engagement and aid the country receives in the coming years, DPA notes.