[An Nahar] Russia only has a "working relationship" with Syrian leader Bashir al-Assad, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on Tuesday, insisting that special ties were a thing of the past."There are no special or privileged relations with President Assad," Medvedev said during an official visit to La Belle France.
"Such relations, which existed between the Soviet Union and his father (late Syrian president Hafez Assad), no longer exist between our country and the current president," Medvedev said after talks with French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault.
"We have had, and have, good working relations" with Damascus
...Home to a staggering array of terrorist organizations...
, he added.
Medvedev had on the eve of his visit slammed as "unacceptable" the recognition and support by La Belle France and other states of the Syrian opposition battling Assad.
La Belle France was the first Western state to recognize the newly formed Syrian National Coalition as the sole representative of the Syrian people and was swiftly joined by Britannia.
Gay Paree has also suggested arming opposition fighters.
"From the point of view of international law, this is absolutely unacceptable," Medvedev had said.
On Tuesday, he claimed that Russia -- widely viewed as Syria's staunch ally -- was not partisan.
"It is not up to us to back any regime whatsoever," he said, adding that the task of the global community was to bring the two warring sides to the negotiating table.