“The most important [thing is] that we [have] reached the stage of political settlement. It is a signal to all parties that it is necessary to find common ground, that all sides must find a compromise,” Salim Ali said, commenting on Moscow's decision to start to withdraw its air force from Syria
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to begin withdrawing Russia's air force from Syria the next day, as the task assigned to it has been fulfilled. The Russian Aerospace Forces had been carrying aerial strikes against terrorists in Syria since September 30 at the request of Syrian President Bashar Assad.
“Russia proved to the entire world that it is a strong power, it is necessary to take into account its view. It proved that it can immediately take decisive action, when the country’s national interests are at threat. It also proved that Russia doesn't leave its allies on their own,” Ali said in answer to a question about the effect Russia's participation in the conflict in Syria had on its image.
He also expressed hope that peace would be restored in Syrian quite soon.
The announcement of the withdrawal of Russian air force coincided with the renewal on Monday of the UN-backed peace negotiations in Geneva between the Syrian opposition and government delegations, with the aim of putting an end to the civil war.
Syria has been mired in civil war since 2011 with government forces fighting numerous opposition factions and radical Islamists. As a result, according to different estimations, between 270,000 and 470,000 people have been killed while more than half Syria's 22-million strong population has being displaced.
