New Delhi, Aug. 2 -- Syria's top diplomat met with Russian officials Thursday on the first visit to Moscow by a member of the new government in Damascus since former Syrian President Bashar Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive last year despite years of Russian support.

Russian President Vladimir Putin hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani in the Kremlin, according to Syrian news agency SANA, a meeting that underlined the Kremlin's desire to establish working ties with the country's new leadership.

Before the talks with Putin, al-Shibani met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who emphasized that the Russian authorities "sincerely wish that the Syrian people, with whom we have long-standing friendship, overcome all e...