The message said:

I was very thankful to receive kind message of greeting sent by you on my 52nd birthday.

I express thanks to you for expressing your sincere feelings giving great impression to me and our country and people.

The Syrian Arab Republic appreciates you for supporting our just cause and expressing belief that our army would win a final victory in the struggle for smashing the terrorist forces and defending the sovereignty and security of the country and territorial integrity in support of allies and friends.

Availing myself of this happy opportunity, I firmly believe that the special relations between our two countries would grow stronger in the joint struggle for defending the right of people to decide the sovereignty and independence of the country and their destiny in accordance with wellbeing of the two countries and peoples and the world.