MOSCOW. Dec 29 (Interfax) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad firmly supported Russia's and other countries' efforts to declare a truce in Syria at a meeting with Russian and European parliamentarians in Damascus, Russian Federation Council international affairs committee head Konstantin Kosachyov said.
"Assad resolutely spoke in favor of efforts being made by Russia together with other countries to declare a truce between the conflicting parties in Syria," Kosachyov, who is currently in Syria together with several European Parliament members, told Interfax on Thursday.
"The conversation with the president lasted for more than one hour and was exceptionally constructive and substantive in nature," he said.
The Federation Council delegation is visiting Damascus together with three European Parliament members from Italy, Latvia, and Estonia, belonging to the three largest political groups, i.e. the Group of the European People's Party, the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe.
"We are working as a whole delegation at the Hmeimim airbase now. The shared opinion is that this is a crucial agreement," Kosachyov said.