Politics

The new Syrian government has annulled the 2019 lease agreement that granted a Russian company rights to operate the port of Tartus. The Kremlin now fears that Damascus may revoke the right for Russian ships to dock at the port.

According to the local outlet Shaam, the contract, which allowed Russian ships and tankers to use the port for 49 years, has been terminated.

In the months following the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria's new authorities are working to sever ties with Russia in an effort to demonstrate to the world that they can be a trustworthy partner.

"This decision on the Syrian side seems largely driven by the need to generate revenue for the government. Their income sources are currently extremely limited, and they need funds to fulfill promises such as increasing civil servant salaries. By canceling the agreement, Syria can recover the 60% of commercial revenue from Tartus port operations, which previously went to the Russian company under the 2019 contract," explained Thomas Pierret, a researcher at Irenam and a specialist on Syria.

According to the Syrian Ministry of Defense, discussions about the future of Russian military bases in the country are ongoing, but no resolution has been reached so far.

(QG - Source: RFI / Picture: © Unsplash)