MOSCOW. Oct 22 (Interfax) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Syrian Settlement Alexander Lavrentyev, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Vershinin and representatives of the Russian Defense Ministry in Damascus on Friday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said.
"The parties thoroughly discussed the whole range of issues of the development of the situation in the Syrian Arab Republic. Firm commitment to finally eliminate the terrorist presence and steadily progress towards the long-term political settlement for the benefit of the Syrian people was confirmed," the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on its official website on Saturday.