Russian president grants Syrian expatriate friendship medal

President Vladimir Putin of Russia granted the Syrian expatriate and Deputy Prime Minister of Chechen Republic, Ziyad Sabsabi, the First-Class Friendship Medal in appreciation for his efforts in boosting Russian relations with Syria and with the Arab region.

"I offer this medal to my motherland Syria....I feel pride with this achievement which reflects loyalty of Syrian expatriates to their new nations, and encourage the Syrian community in Russia and other countries to take pioneer roles to prove they are Syria's real ambassadors who defends its legitimate issues," Sabsabi said Wednesday in a statement to SANA in Moscow.

The First-Class Friendship Medal is one of the highest medals in Russia. It is usually accorded to important personalities who offer very important services.

He said the honoring is an embodiment to the speech of President Bashar al-Assad that "Syrian expatriates are great treasure and true ambassadors to their motherland through the honor they receive from leaders across the world, for their loyalty in their new societies in which they reflect Syria's deeply-rooted values in coexistence, tolerance, and interaction among civilizations and cultures."