Al-Jaafari discusses with Kuznetsov Syrian-Russian academic relations

DAMASCUS, (ST)_Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Bashar al–Jaafari received on Tuesday the director of the Centre for Arabic and Islamic Studies of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Science, the Associate Professor at a number of Russian and international forums, Vasily Kuznetsov and the accompanying delegation.

 

Talks during the meeting dealt with means of enhancing the academic relations between the Russian Institute of Oriental Studies and the institutes for research and intellectual and political studies in Syria with the aim of exchanging dialogue and reaching a better understanding of the Syrian foreign and internal policy.

 

Al-Jaafari expressed the ministry’s readiness to cement cooperation in the framework of exchanging dialogue and expertise between the Syrian researchers and the Russian experts and researchers in the Russian Institute.

 

He pointed out to the pivotal role of the institute since its foundation  in drawing the Soviet foreign policy and then the Russian foreign policy and in understanding the cultural dimension between the Soviet Union  and Russian and the Arab Countries as a reserve for diplomatic work.

 

He briefed the Russian delegation on the features of the Syrian diplomacy which is based on the international law and the principles, but not on interests, noting, in this regard, Syria’s firm stances towards a number of countries that face unilateral sanctions and unjust siege imposed on them in violation of  international law.

 

Al-Jaafari expressed optimism regarding the return of the Arab relations with Syria, asserting that the Arab nationalist intellect is deeply rooted in Syria’s relations with the Arab countries, according to the Syrian News Agency (SANA). 

 

He asserted that Arabism is a belonging to the Arab culture not to race; therefore a lot of non-Arabs are proud of their belonging to the Arab culture and intellect.

 

 Basma Qaddour