Military bases against the economy .. This is how Russia will return to Damascus

The same sources said that the talks on two Russian bases in Syria expanded to include broader economic relations between the two countries, including billions of dollars in cash and investments in the gas sector.

The Russians sought to negotiate the future of the Russian Hmeimim Air Force Base and Tartous Naval Base, but the talks expanded to include broader economic relations, according to persons familiar with the discussions.

The talks also included the continuation of the construction of the Tartous port, which was suspended, in addition to developing the huge natural gas privileges at sea, phosphate mines and hydrocarbons in the Palmyra area, in addition to building a fertilizer factory in Homs in central Syria.

The sources added that negotiations between Russia and Syria included a possible apology from Moscow for its role in bombing Syrian civilians.

The negotiations also included Damascus’s request to hand over the ousted President Bashar al -Assad, but the Russians refused to discuss this, according to the Wall Street Journal reported on officials.

According to the same sources, the talks began when Mikhail Bogdanov, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and Russian envoy, arrived in Syria Alexander Lavrentiev last January.

The newspaper said that Russia handed over last month the equivalent of 23 million dollars in the Syrian pound at official exchange rates to the central bank in Damascus.

Paper currencies were printed by Russia to support the Syrian economy, which suffers from a lack of liquidity after most other countries refused to do so for fear of sanctions, according to Syrian and European officials, quoted by the Wall Street Journal.

Al -Shara has previously acknowledged in previous statements that “there are deep strategic interests” between Syria and Russia, which over the decades of the Syrian army was provided with weapons and provided funding for power stations, dams and other major infrastructure.

According to Reuters previously reported, Putin offered last December the use of the two bases to deliver humanitarian aid to the Syrian people, while the Moscow Ambassador to the United Nations, Vasily Nippinsia, said at the time that Russia’s alliance with Syria was “not linked to any regime.” (Al -Jazeera)