Your trusted source

Russia and Syria have signed an agreement on expanding the territory of the Russian Navy’s logistics facility in Tartus for 49 years. The document was published on the official legal information portal, TASS agency reported.

"The current agreement will stay effective for 49 years and be automatically prolonged for 25-year periods, if neither party makes a twelve months’ notice in writing through diplomatic channels of its intention to terminate the agreement’s operation," the document runs, as quoted by the source.

Under the agreement, signed on Wednesday and made public on Friday, Russian warships will be allowed to enter the port after an appropriate Syrian body has been notified, not later than 12 hours before the planned entry.

However, “in case of operational need Russian warships may enter the port after an appropriate Syrian body has been notified, not later than six hours before the entry.”

Russia is allowed to bring in and out any kind of “weaponry, ammunition, devices and materials” to provide security for the facility staff, crew, and their families throughout the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic “without any duties or levies.”

According to a protocol signed on Wednesday and released on Friday, Russia has also been given the right to use the Syrian Khmeimim Air Base in the Latakia province free of charge.