Russian forces at Khmeimim Air Base, near Latakia, Syria

Syria is planning to sign an agreement to lease Tartus seaport to Russia in this week for 49 years, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Yuri Borisov said Saturday after his meeting with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Assad and Borisov met to discuss trade and economic cooperation between the two countries, “particularly in the fields of energy, industry and increasing trade”.

"A key issue that is to yield positive dynamics is the one on the use of the port of Tartus. My visit has cemented all these agreements. We have made a considerable progress on that matter and hope that a contract will be signed within a week and the port of Tartus will be used by Russian businesses for 49 years," Borisov said.

He said that the decision to lease out the Syrian port to Russia had been taken at a session of the intergovernmental commission.

"I hope we will do good to the Syrian economy," he said.

Moscow and Damascus in 2017 signed an agreement to establish permanent military presence at naval and air bases in Syria.