Political Solution Based on Countering Terrorism Best Way to Settle Crisis in Syria: Iraqi President

BAGHDAD– Iraqi President Barham Saleh has stressed the importance of ending the suffering of the Syrian people as soon as possible, according to the Iraqi presidency.

The president made the remarks during a meeting with Russian president’s special envoy for Syria Alexander Lavrentiev, Baghdad Today news website quoted the Iraqi presidency as saying in a press statement.

 “The suffering of the Syrian people should come to an end soonest,” Saleh said, adding that the political solution, which is based on countering terrorism, will remain the best to settle the crisis in Syria.

 Speaking about Iraqi-Russian relations, Saleh called for boosting aspects of cooperation between the two countries in the political and economic fields.

The Iraqi president also valued a role played by Russia in the counter-terrorism war.

The Russian envoy, for his part, reiterated his country’s support for the Iraqi people in different fields.

The meeting also tackled the latest developments in the region and called for immediate solutions for regional crises.

Lebanon’s Berri, Lavrentiev Discuss Syrian Refugees Issue

Later in Beirut, Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament Nabih Berri met with Lavrentiev as well as the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Vershinin and Russian Ambassador Alexander Zasypkin, with whom he discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the region, particularly in Syria.

According to the Lebanese National news Agency (NNA), Lavrentiev said the meeting tackled the issue of the Syrian refugees in Lebanon and the need to intensify contacts between Beirut and Damascus to solve this problem as soon as possible.”

H.M