Matviyenko to Abbas: Russia to Continue Supporting Syria in War on Terror

MOSCOW- Russia will continue to support Syria in its fight against terrorism, Russian Federation Council Speaker Valentina Matviyenko said at a meeting with Syria’s Parliament Speaker Hadiyeh al-Abbas.

“We will continue to make every possible effort to support the Syrian people in their fight against international terrorism,” Matviyenko said. “We will boost our cooperation in the war on terror,” she added, according to Tass.

The Russian senate speaker also said that Moscow strongly condemned the recent US missile attack on a Syrian air base. “We consider it to be an act of aggression against a sovereign state,” she stressed.

 Matviyenko added that from the very beginning of the crisis in Syria, Russia had been emphasizing that it was unacceptable to interfere in the domestic affairs of a sovereign state. “We also believe that the crisis can only be resolved at the negotiating table,” the Russian senator added.

US has no grounds for carrying out strike on Syria

Speaking to reporters, Matviyenko said the United States had no grounds whatsoever for carrying out a strike against a Syrian airbase, these actions can be considered a signal of support for terrorists,.

“This is an act of aggression against a sovereign nation and a gross violation of international law. There were no grounds for launching this strike. This strike can be treated as a signal of support for terrorists,” the senator noted.

Matviyenko added that Russia will insist on conducting an impartial investigation into the incident.

She emphasized that the US had recorded that chemical weapons in Syria had been safely disposed of, so there were no grounds for the attack.

The US military fired 59 Tomahawk cruise missiles at a military airfield in Syria’s Homs province last week on orders issued by US President Donald Trump. Washington claimed the strike came in response to what it claims was Damascus’ use of chemical weapons in the Idlib province.

Abbas: US chemical allegations based on no evidence

On her part, Abbas said that allegations of chemical weapons use are part of a US play which is based on no evidence, stressing that Syria rejects the use of such weapons which contradict all human values, SANA reported.

She highly appreciated Russia’s support to Syria to confront takfiri terrorism and the war waged on it by terrorists from more than 90 countries as well as its efforts in humanitarian sector and contribution to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.

Abbas expressed condolences to victims’ families over the terror attack on St. Petersburg metro train.

The two sides agreed on signing a parliamentary cooperation agreement in the near future.

H.M