Russian Carrier Group Visits Syrian Port Tartus

09.01.2012 Russian Navy's flotilla headed by aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov has already moored at Syrian port Tartus, report news agencies of Damascus. According to local media, the call of Russian carrier group is carried out in solidarity with Syria which is Moscow's close ally.

The 6-day visit of the Russian naval flotilla is called to strengthen stance of Syrian government which is currently under pressure of the Western and Arab countries as a result of sanguinary repression of protest actions.

"The port call is aimed at bringing the two countries closer together and strengthening their ties of friendship", reports SANA citing the Russian Navy's spokesman Vladimir A. Yakushev. According to the news agency, Russian warships will call at Tartus by rotation to demonstrate solidarity with Syrian people.

The governor of Tartus province, Atef al-Nadaf, paid tribute to the "honourable position adopted by Russia which has stood by the Syrian people". Private but para-governmental Syrian newspaper Al-Watan reported last week that aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov with an escort group including submarines was heading for Syria.

In Oct 2011, Moscow and Beijing put a veto on draft resolution of the UN Security Council drawn by Western countries; allegedly, the document could threaten the regime of Bashar Assad by "targeted measures" unless he was able to temperate his security forces murderously repressing protest actions.