BAKU (RFE/RL) -- Syrian President Bashir al-Assad arrived in Baku on July 8, starting a two-day official visit to Azerbaijan.
Ahead of Assad's arrival, Syrian media reported the visit aims to further political and economic ties between the two countries.
Azerbaijani political analysts told RFE/RL's Azerbaijani Service that Assad's visit, one week after Israel's president was in Azerbaijan, is intended to demonstrate Baku's balanced foreign policy.