Black, a Republican member of the Virginia State Senate, has recently returned from Syria, where he met with Syrian President Bashar Assad and discussed recent developments in the country. Sputnik: You recently met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. What was your general opinion of the man and how accurately is he represented in Western media? Richard Black: This is the second time that I’ve met with President Assad. We had a 45-minute schedule and we ended up talking for three hours. The last time he was optimistic, he was determined. This time there was almost a spring in his step. He was quite joyous and happy. I think, like all Syrians, he realizes that unless the West gets involved in a very malign fashion, the War will end rather soon. I think all Syrians are ready for that, but he seemed very upbeat and very happy. You asked about how he is portrayed in the media. People in Syria know that he is a very humble individual. There is almost a touch of shyness about him. Incredibly intelligent and very devoted to his people. READ MORE: UK Submarine Reportedly Enters Mediterranean Amid Expected Provocations in Syria © AFP 2018 / Karam Al-MasriFrench Volunteer: West May Use Idlib Battle as Excuse to Intervene in Syria, Exacerbate ChaosHe doesn’t have an imperial presidency like we have… Read full this story
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