MOSCOW (Reuters) -A Russian delegation has arrived in Damascus for the first time since Moscow's ally President Bashar al-Assad was toppled, Russia's TASS state news agency reported on Tuesday, as Russia tries to secure the future of its military bases in Syria.

DAMASCUS -- A delegation of Russian officials arrived in Damascus on Tuesday for the first such visit to Syria since the fall of former President Bashar Assad. Assad, an ally of Moscow, took refuge in Russia after his ouster in December in a lightning rebel offensive.

EU foreign ministers on Monday agreed to begin easing sanctions on Syria after the ouster of Bashar al-Assad in December, the bloc's top diplomat said. "While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken,

European Union foreign ministers have agreed to begin lifting sanctions on Syria, but insist that the measures should be reimposed if they see any abuses by the country’s new rulers

European Union foreign ministers have agreed on a roadmap to ease sanctions on Syria, the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Monday. "While we aim to move fast, the lifting of sanctions can be reversed if wrong steps are taken,

European Union top diplomat Kaja Kallas said on Monday that she hopes EU foreign ministers will be able to agree on gradually suspending the bloc's economic sanctions on Syria. Ministers are to decide on a "roadmap" for a step-by-step approach,

EU foreign ministers were discussing the matter at a meeting in Brussels on Monday with the bloc's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas having told Reuters that she was hopeful an agreement on easing the sanctions could be reached.

By NewsBase News Desk European Union foreign ministers endorsed a roadmap for the lifting of sanctions against Syria on 27 January during a meeting in Brussels. The ministers agreed to take initial steps towards easing the tough,