Russia discussing giving loan to Damascus: Syria

MOSCOW: Russia and Syria are discussing the possibility of Moscow extending a loan to Damascus to help Syria's civil war battered economy, a top Syrian official said Monday.

Visiting Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Qadri Jamil said that the issue was discussed at talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Damascus hoped for an agreement by the end of the year. "We discussed it, although it is still early to talk in concrete figures," Jamil said, quoted by Russian news agencies.

The Syrian official added that all agreements for Russia's controversial
contract to deliver S-300 missile systems to Damascus were still in place.