Russia is ready to send its observers to the upcoming presidential elections in Syria on May 26, responding to a corresponding request from Damascus. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
"We hope that despite the ongoing illegal foreign occupation of part of Syrian territory, the voting will take place in accordance with available national and international standards. Responding to the appeal of the Syrian side, we will be ready to send Russian observers to the upcoming elections," the document said.
The Foreign Ministry stressed that the organization of the presidential election campaign in the republic is "an exclusively internal affair of the country" and fully meets the requirements of the current national legislation. Also, the organization of the elections does not contradict the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 2254 and other international decisions on Syria, Smolensk Square pointed out.
"In this regard, we consider the statements made recently from the capitals of several foreign countries about the alleged [illegitimacy] of the upcoming elections to be an element of gross political pressure on Damascus and yet another attempt to interfere in Syria's internal affairs. No one has the right to tell the Syrians when and under what conditions they should elect their head of state," the diplomatic mission said.
On May 26th, presidential elections will be held in Syria in connection with the expiration of the next term in office of the current head of state, Bashar al-Assad. He will also take part in them. The United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Turkey do not consider the upcoming presidential elections in Syria free and fair and call on the international community not to normalize relations with Damascus based on their results.
On April 28, members of the People's Council (parliament) of Syria called on friendly nations to send their observers to the presidential elections.
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Based on materials from TASS