Russia has helped Assad’s forces to take back most of the country but the eight-year-long war continues. Swathes of the northeast and northwest are out of his control, while sanctions and a fuel shortage are constricting the economy.
49 YEARS DEAL
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yury Borisov met with Assad and discussed Moscow’s efforts to help the Middle Eastern country’s economic revival, as well as trade and economic cooperation particularly in the fields of energy, industry and increasing trade.
“We have made considerable progress on that matter and hope that a contract will be signed within a week and the port of Tartus will be used by Russian businesses for 49 years,” Borisov added.
Borisov as saying that a contract on renting Tartus port by Russia was expected to be signed soon. “The length of the contract 49-years was decided after a feasibility study” so both sides could reap benefits, Borisov said. “Tartus is an old port whose docks range between four and 13 meters deep,” he said.