Members of Russia's upper house to visit Syria for talks

DAMASCUS, September 17 (Itar-Tass) -- A delegation of Russia's
Federation Council, headed by Deputy Speaker Ilyas Umakhanov is arriving
in Damascus for talks with the Syrian leadership on Saturday.
As the Russian embassy in Syria has told Itar-Tass, on Saturday
evening there is going to be a scheduled meeting with President Bashar
al-Assad's political adviser Bouthaina Shaaban, and on Sunday the Russian
envoys will be received by the head of state. In addition, on the same
day, there will be meetings with the chairman of the National Council
(Parliament) of Syria, Mahmoud al-Abrash, representatives of the
parliamentary Friendship Society and the supreme mufti of Syria, Ahmad
Badreddin Hassoun. On Monday the Russian delegation will meet with
Metropolitan Luke, as well as a representative of the Patriarch of Antioch
and All the East Ignatius IV.
In addition, the members of Russia's Federation Council are going to
visit the troubled areas of the country and get acquainted with the
situation on site.
During her visit to Moscow on September 12 Bouthaina Shaaban thanked
Russia for its constructive approach, noting "convergence of views on all
major issues."
"We shall be happy to welcome Russian senators on Syrian soil," she
said.