SOCHI. Oct 23 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has had a phone conversation with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and briefed the latter on the provisions of the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding, which was endorsed following the Sochi summit with the Turkish president, Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
"Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad had a phone conversation at the Russian side's initiative. The Russian head of state briefed his Syrian counterpart on the outcomes of the meeting with [Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] Erdogan that lasted more than six hours, and spelled out the main clauses of the Memorandum on Mutual Understanding, which was adopted on the basis of the results of the meeting," Peskov said.
The Russian president said that the top priority eventually consists in restoring Syria's territorial integrity and further joint efforts on the political track, including the work as part of the Constitutional Committee, he said.
Al-Assad said he backed these decisions, Peskov added.
"President al-Assad thanked Vladimir Putin and said that he fully supports the results of work, as well as the readiness of Syrian border guards jointly with the Russian military police to patrol the border," Peskov said.