Russian President Medvedev prepares for first official visit to Syria

The Middle East settlement, Iran's nuclear program and bilateral arms trade will top the agenda of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's first visit to Syria on May 10-11.

Russia and Syria resumed high-level dialogue, which had stalled since the collapse of the Soviet Union, in 2005, during a visit of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to Moscow. During the past five years, the Syrian leader has visited Russia three times. His latest visit took place in August 2008, when he met Medvedev in the Black Sea city of Sochi.

The Middle East peace process is expected to be a key topic of discussion during Medvedev's visit, as Syria is a key player in the region and froze settlement talks with Israel following the January 2009 Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Since Iran is Syria's strategic partner in the Middle East and Russia is a member of the Iran Six international mediators group, the issue of the controversial Iranian nuclear program will also be a focus of the talks.

As well as issues of international significance, Medvedev and Al-Assad are expected to discuss a range of bilateral issues, including arms trade and economic cooperation.

In the winter of 2005, Russia canceled 70% of Syria's debt, which at the time stood at $13.4 billion.

Later in 2005, Russia resumed military cooperation with Syria, delivering Strelets surface-to-air missile systems to the country.

Over 40,000 graduates of Soviet and Russian universities live and work in Syria and cultural relations may also be a subject of discussion.

In March this year, Moscow and Damascus signed a cultural cooperation program for 2010-2012. The program, which is meant to improve cultural exchanges, good relations and understanding between the two countries, includes a Russian Culture festival in Syria in 2011 and a Syrian Culture festival in Russia in 2012.

DAMASCUS, May 6 (RIA Novosti)

Source: RIA Novosti.
Link: http://en.rian.ru/world/20100506/158902225.html.