Russia sees trust-building moves in Syria

Russian government said Thursday it has witnessed signs of normalisation in Syria following recent presidential election in the Arab country.

"Developments after the elections show serious intentions by the Syrian government to further improve the political climate through a set of trust-building measures," Xinhua quoted foreign ministry spokesperson Alexander Lukashevich as telling reporters.

The official said the measures included release of about 1,000 inmates following incumbent Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's re-election to a third seven-year term, as well as the decision to pardon deserters from the Syrian army.

He praised Damascus for its cooperation with the Organisation for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which has removed more than 92 percent of Syria's chemical weapons components.

Moreover, Lukashevich said Syrian society had not been split and the nation upheld "emotional unity" despite the extremists' provocations, while the government forces were taking back control of many territories.

The presidential election in early June was the first multi-candidate poll in Syria's modern history. Assad achieved a landslide victory with 88.7 percent of the vote.

Syria is witnessing a three-year-old domestic conflict. According to the UN, over 100,000 people have been killed and an estimated nine million others driven from their homes since opposition protesters first sought to oust Assad and his government in March 2011.