Syria's President Bashar al-Assad speaks during an interview with RIA Novosti and Sputnik in this handout picture provided by SANA on April 21, 2017, Syria. SANA/Handout via REUTERS

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Syrian government has started signing deals with Russian companies in oil and natural gas sector, RIA news agency quoted Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as saying on Friday.

No other details have been disclosed so far.