Syria, Iran to enhance co-op in all fields

Xinhua - English

Syria, Iran to enhance co-op in all fields
www.chinaview.cn 2006-02-20 08:16:31

DAMASCUS, Feb. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- The Syrian-Iranian Joint Economic Commission started deliberations here Sunday and the two sides expressed intention to enhance cooperation in all fields, the official SANA news agency reported.

The meeting, co-chaired by Syrian Minister of Economy and Trade Amer Hosni Lutfi and Iranian Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mohammad Saeedi-kia, was in preparation for the forthcoming meeting of the Joint Syrian-Iranian Higher Committee, scheduled to be held on Wednesday.

Lutfi noted Damascus' need to benefit from Iran's successful experience in various economic fields as Syria is transforming from the central planning economy into the social market economy.

There are huge untapped economic potentials in the two countries which should be further explored, he said.

Saeedi-kia underscored the significance to enhance this cooperation between the two friendly countries, noting that bilateral economic cooperation have made a remarkable progress in the past few years.

Iranian businessmen are now involved in various projects in Syria, such as the construction of bridges and roads, expansion of ports and power plants and development of petrochemical industry, said Saeedi-kia.

Bilateral trade volume reached 210 million U.S. dollars in 2005, according to Syria's official al-Thawra newspaper.

Last month, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad paid an official visit to Syria and met with his Syrian counterpart Bashar al-Assad.

The two leaders reasserted their close ranks in the face of international pressure.

The United States imposed sanctions on both Syria and Iran on accusation of sponsoring terrorism and taking insufficient actions to prevent insurgents from crossing into Iraq.

While Damascus was asked to fully cooperate with an UN probe into the killing of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, Tehran is facing possible sanctions by the UN Security Council over its controversial nuclear program.

Iran and Syria have maintained close ties since the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war during which Syria sided with Tehran against Iraq under Saddam Hussein regime. Enditem