Syria is interested in purchasing Russia's new MC-21 passenger jets and seeks priority in becoming the first buyer, Syrian Transport Minister Ali Hammoud said.
"We have asked the friendly Russian side so that Syria could have the right of being the first in buying these aircraft," Sputnik cited the minister as saying.
He also said that Syria's Ministry of Transport is considering the possibility of expanding the Damascus airport or building a new one in cooperation with Russia.
"We are cooperating with the Russian side on the issue of expanding the Damascus International Airport or building a new one to replace the current one," Hammoud said, noting that a Syrian analytic company was commissioned to compare the two options, and the most advantageous one would be chosen afterward.
The MC-21 jets are developed by the Irkut Corporation. Preparing assembly lines for the serial manufacture of MC-21 is currently underway.
