Putin says a new Syrian constitution should guarantee all groups' rights - Arabiya

Russian President Vladimir Putin said any new constitution that is drawn up for Syria should guarantee the rights of all ethnic and religions groups. Putin was speaking in an interview with Arab broadcasters, including Saudi-owned Al Arabiya TV, on his first visit to Saudi Arabia in over a decade.

He said that Syrians "interact positively" with Russian military police and military stationed in the country and that most military police in Syria are Muslims drawn from Russia's north Caucasus region. Russia is a key ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the country's war.