Syrian Speaker meets Russian delegation, group of activists from US, Canada

Text of report in English by state-run Syrian news agency SANA website

Damascus - Speaker of the People's Assembly Mohammad Jihad al-Laham said the Syrians are determined to partake in the presidential vote despite instigation campaigns intended to disrupt political life in Syria.

Al-Laham was speaking during his meeting with a Russian parliamentary delegation which came to Syria at the invitation of the People's Assembly.

Earlier last month, the People's Assembly had invited parliaments of several friendly countries to send delegations to observe the presidential vote, which the Syrian government insist on holding in a democratic atmosphere.

Presidential elections are an internal affair that no one has the right to interfere in, added al-Laham. The parliament speaker applauded Russia's stances in support of Syria. "Russia and China have restored prestige to the international community after the US has long monopolized UN resolutions and manipulated them to its advantage," he said.

Chairman of the Security Affairs Committee at the Russian Duma Council Sergey Gavrilov, who heads the Russian delegation, said the delegation members are deeply interested in the upcoming vote in Syria as it is the first multi-candidate contest in the country.

The delegation members, for their part, expressed solidarity with the Syrian people against the unjust war targeting them, affirming Russia's full support to the Syrians' aspirations for a better life.

In the same context, Al-Laham met a group of anti-imperialist writers, intellectuals, social researchers and activists from the US, Canada and Ireland.

During the meeting, Al-Laham said elections held on time are a victory for the will of the Syrian people and their desire to choose a leader who is capable of restoring security and stability.

The Syrian people have no problem whatsoever with...