Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad fully supports Moscow's idea to convene a committee to draft the basic law. The government is ready to discuss the concept of the new constitution with each side of the conflict. Russia's suggestions were presented by the State Duma deputies, who arrived in Syria with a delegation of European parliamentarians. Politicians from 6 countries, including the Chairman of PACE, have already visited Khmeimim air base and Aleppo. They had a chance to form their unbiased opinion about the situation in the region. Aleksey Baranov reporting from Syria.
In Aleppo, State Duma deputies from all the parliamentary parties were brought in on Russia's Ministry of Defense aircraft. Even though Aleppo is completely free of militants, delegations of Russian deputies and European parliamentarians are accompanied by Russia's Ministry of Defense military squad and by special services of the Syrian army, trained by Russian specialists.
The European mission is led by Russian State Duma Speaker Vladimir Vasilyev. Along with the Chairman of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Leonid Slutsky they convinced the deputies of PACE to visit Syria and see everything with their own eyes. People want to help children and the elderly, help those who need it the most in Syria today. We're fighting terrorism. We're here and we'll keep up our cooperation with those wonderful, brave people from PACE, which are waiting for Russia to join the PACE plenary meetings again. Seeing recently freed Aleppo with their own eyes is not a simple mission, because the road from the airport lies through its eastern part, which had been occupied by militants for years.
According to the deputies, the meeting with Bashar Al-Assad convinced everybody, that the lawful authorities are ready to do whatever it takes to bring peace back to Syria. The President of Syria highly values the role of Russia in this regard. We're ready for negotiations on the new constitution, we support Russia's initiative. Right now we're discussing all the details. The problem is that the negotiations are being sabotaged by armed opposition.
Delegations of Russian and European parliamentarians also visited a school in Aleppo. Giving out food packages is only a small part of everyday work of the Russian Center for Reconciliation of Opposing Sides in Syria. It's clear that the mission of representatives from European countries, which was finally organized, will not be the last one. Deputies now consider it their duty to see and tell everything that's happening here.
