Putin says hasn't yet met with al-Assad in Moscow, plans to do so

MOSCOW. Dec 19 (Interfax) - Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he has not yet met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is currently in Moscow, but that he plans to do so.

"I haven't met with President al-Assad after his arrival in Moscow. But I plan to do so. I'll definitely talk with him," Putin said at his Q&A session and end-of-year press conference in reply to a corresponding question on Thursday.

Syrian opposition groups claimed taking control of Syria on December 8. Following negotiations with a number of parties involved in the conflict, al-Assad decided to step down and left the country. He arrived in Moscow along with his family.