Preparation for signing of an agreement on a permanent naval base of the Russian Navy in Syrian Tartus is at the final stage.
Tartus Naval Base, Syria (Photo: Google)
Preparation for signing of an agreement on a military base of the Russian Navy in the Syrian port city of Tartus is at the final stage, the TASS news agency reported on Wednesday, citing Chairman of the Council of the Federation Committee on Defense and Security, Viktor Ozerov.
“As far as I know, [it is] at the final stage,” Ozerov said, answering a question of the news agency of at what stage the preparation for signing of the agreement on this military facility is.
Regarding time of ratification of the agreement by the Russian Parliament, Ozerov explained that “it will be introduced by the [Russian] President or by the Russian Government.”
“If the government [does this], it [the agreement] must go through a government session. They determine, who will be an official representative of the Russian government,” Ozerov reminded the procedure for adoption of such decisions.
“If this is [implemented according to the procedure] as [in the case of] the agreement on the [Russian] air base [in Syria, previously ratified by the Russian Parliament], then it will be possible that it will be introduced by the Russian President. When the agreement will come into the presidential administration, all the necessary legal and technical procedures will be completed, it [introduction of the agreement to the State Duma for ratification] will be formalized by a presidential decree on the introduction, [it will be determined], who will be an official representative of the Russian president,” the Chairman of the Council added. “But when it will happen… I am not the government, I am not the president,” Ozerov concluded.
In early October, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Pankov said that Russia plans to place its permanent naval base in the Syrian port of Tartus. According to him, at that time, documents have already been prepared and were going through a procedure of interagency coordination. Currently, there is a logistics center for Russian ships in Tartus. Also a Russian air group uses the Hmeymim airbase in Latakia province.