DAMASCUS: Syria said on Sunday that it had reached an agreement with Russia regarding the future of two Russian military bases in the country.
According to Syria’s official SANA news agency, the foreign ministry said the Hmeimim airbase and Tartus naval base would be converted into “joint training and capacity-building centres, within new arrangements that preserve mutual interests”.
The memorandum of understanding was reached after around 18 months of negotiations and sets a deadline of no more than three months to complete the transition, SANA reported.
During this period, civilian facilities at both sites will be transferred to the Syrian government.
Russia has not yet issued an official response to the agreement.
The Hmeimim and Tartus facilities had continued operating throughout the negotiations.
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani visited the two locations on Sunday “to inspect the facilities and installations included in the historic memorandum of understanding”, according to SANA.
‘Important step’
Omar al-Hasri, head of Syria’s Civil Aviation Authority, said the authority was assuming control of Latakia International Airport, a civilian facility next to Hmeimim whose operations had been closely connected to Russia’s presence.
“The Authority’s specialised teams have begun the technical and operational assessment of the airport, its facilities and systems, in preparation for developing a plan to rehabilitate it,” Hasri said.
He described the move as “an important step towards restoring and operating Syrian airports and reintegrating them into the national civil aviation system”.
Syria has indicated that it remains open to cooperation with Moscow. President Ahmed al-Sharaa has also met Russian President Vladimir Putin twice in Moscow since taking office.
