Al-Miqdad receives phone calls and messages from ministers and UN officials who expressed their solidarity with Syria

DAMASCUS, Feb.7, (ST)- The Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Al-Miqdad received on Tuesday several phone calls and messages from Arab ministers, and from the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Syria, in which they expressed their condolences, warm sympathy, and deep solidarity with the Syrian people, and the families of the victims and those affected by the earthquake that struck Syria yesterday at dawn.

Al-Miqdad received a phone call from Othman Al-Jarandi, the Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, who conveyed the condolences of Tunisian President Kais Saied and the government of Tunisia to the leadership and people of the Syrian Arab Republic. He asserted that the Tunisian leadership and people stand by Syria, offering his country’s urgent humanitarian support for those affected by this earthquake to ease its disastrous effects.

He also received a phone call from Naglaa Al-Mangoush, the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, who conveyed the condolences of the Libyan leadership to President Bashar Al-Assad, and expressed the solidarity of the Libyan leadership and people with the Syrian Arab Republic in this tragedy, stressing that the duty of the brothers is to support each other in such situation. She also expressed the willingness of the brothers in Libya to provide all humanitarian support to their brothers in Syria to overcome this catastrophe.

Ali al-Sadiq Ali, the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs, made a telephone conversation with Al-Miqdad, in which he offered his condolences to the families of the victims, and his wishes for recovery for those injured in the earthquake that hit Syria.

Al-Miqdad in addition received a phone call from Lieutenant General Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Nu’mani, the Minister of the Royal Office in the Sultanate of Oman, who offered his condolences to the Syrian government and people, and asserted the support of the Sultanate of Oman and  Sultan Haitham bin Tariq Al Said to Syria, and Oman’s willingness to provide support to overcome the effects of this natural disaster.

Moreover, Al-Miqdad received a phone call from Geir Pedersen, the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Syria, who expressed his deep sympathy and solidarity with Syria in this painful affliction, indicating his readiness to do what is necessary to mobilize support and aid for Syria to face the repercussions of this earthquake.

For his part, Al-Miqdad thanked the solidarity of the brotherly and friendly countries with the Syrian leadership and people to confront this painful disaster, and told the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations that this is the time to provide humanitarian aid, and not the time to impose sanctions that increase the suffering of the Syrian people as a result of this natural disaster.

Basma Qaddour