The Syrian president was quoted on Monday as saying the active phase of warfare in Syria would be finished within a year. "In reply to my question about military affairs, Assad said ‘The active phase of warfare in Syria will be finished within a year’," Chairman of the Imperial Orthodox Palestine Society Sergei Stepashin said after talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, ITAR-TASS reported. "We once again focused on economic cooperation," he added.