Measures to Protect Syrian Oil from Terrorists – Minister

DAMASCUS,(ST) Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources Suleiman Abbas  stressed that as the only body authorized to invest oil resources  in Syria, the ministry  “will take all measures necessary to maintain this wealth against  hacking and looting attempts by monitoring oil  fields and wells closely  in coordination with ministries concerned  and other stakeholders. “

Statements of the oil minister came during a meeting on Wednesday with directors of oil institutions and companies and heads of the boards of joint-stock companies, working in Syria  where discussions dealt with executive measures be taken to protect oil and mineral wealth from looting, theft and systematic vandalism practiced by the armed terrorist groups  following  the EU decision  to purchase Syrian oil, from what  he called “armed opposition.”

He stressed the need  that foreign companies operating in Syria, “to pressure on their governments to prevent the implementation of the  EU illegal decision  which is  inconsistent with the provisions of international law and the UN Charter.

He pointed out that the EU  decision represents a “flagrant violation of all international treaties in honoring  the sovereignty of States .”

The minister explained  that the EU  decision provides for  easing  oil embargo imposed on Syria since  September 2011 to support the armed terrorist groups  when  permitting three types of transactions for the oil sector in Syria  including finance, insurance,  and export of equipment and techniques necessary for extraction operations and the provision of sums  for the Syrian oil industry.

T. Fateh