Tehran-The industrial, commercial and economic forum between Syria and Iran opened at the headquarters of the Iranian Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines in Tehran today.

The forum aims at enhancing the level of bilateral cooperation, increasing the volume of trade and productive exchanges, and taking advantage of the opportunities and potentials of both sides to achieve joint industrial and productive partnerships that are compatible with the challenges of the current stage under the economic embargo and unfair sanctions against the Syrian and Iranian peoples.

The forum also aims to overcome all obstacles to the joint cooperation process and push the level of economic, trade and production relations to the level of political relations between the two countries to reach the desired goals and achieve a quantum leap in the industrial, commercial and productive sectors. 

The meeting will be attended by a delegation of Syrian businessmen and traders chaired by Dr. Samer Al-Dbas, head of the Damascus Damascus Countryside Chamber of Industry.

The opening ceremony was attended by Syrian Ambassador to Tehran, Dr. Adnan Mahmoud, Advisor of the first Vice- President of Iran, who is Secretary of the Committee for the Development of Economic Relations with Syria and Iraq Dania Farr, and Chairman of the Joint Iranian-Syrian Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Supreme Committee for Investors in Free Zones, Fahd Darwish, and Vice-President of the joint Iranian-Syrian Chamber of Commerce, in addition to industrial activities representing Syrian and Iranian businessmen and industrialists.

Sh. Kh.

Tehran - The head of the Damascus Chamber of Industry, Dr. Samer Al-Debs, and the Iranian Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance, Dr. Mir Ashrafi, discussed ways to enhance cooperation between the private sector in Syria and Iran in industrial and commercial fields.

During the talks, Mr. al -Debs said: "We seek to upgrade the economic relations to the level of political relations, pointing to the existence of many fields for mutual cooperation in the transport of goods and increasing the volume of trade exchange, stressing the importance of enhancing cooperation in the industrial and commercial fields to facilitate the flow of goods to both countries."

He pointed to the importance of joint investments in the industrial sector and cooperation between the two countries in the field of remittances to face the unjustified unilateral coercive economic measures facing both countries.

He indicated to the importance of reducing the indicative prices on Syrian goods and allowing all goods to enter the Iranian market and speed up the release of Syrian goods upon arrival at Iranian ports or airports.

"We discussed how to facilitate the flow of Syrian exports to Iran and Iranian exports to Syria. We have to upgrade the size of the economic relationship between the two countries," Mr. Al Debs said.

For his part, the head of the Syrian-Iranian Economic Relations Development Committee, Danny Farr, confirmed the full readiness to cooperate with the Syrian side to facilitate the flow of goods to the two countries, proposing to establish a workshop between the customs of Syria and Iran and focus attention on the problems of traders, industrialists, export and import.,

Dr. Ashrafi also proposed the formation of a customs union between Iran, Iraq and Syria to enhance the volume of trade exchange between the three countries and to enhance the process of shipping goods better and thus rapid and easy transport of goods through those countries.

The two sides agreed to appoint a liaison officer between the two sides to resolve and follow up all the problems related to customs, including lowering the indicative prices on Syrian goods and allowing Syrian goods to enter Iranian markets.

Mr. Al -Debs and the accompanying delegation also discussed with Iranian Deputy Minister of Industry, Rashad Muqaimi ways of developing bilateral cooperation between the two countries, in which the private and government sectors are involved. He stressed the importance of cooperation between Syria and Iran, especially in the current circumstances, especially the two countries face the same pressures, difficulties and obstacles.

He said that Iran has advanced industries and could benefit from the Syrian industry. The Syrian and Iranian sides agreed that Mr. Fahd Darwish, Chairman of the Committee of Investors in Free Zones, would be responsible for the flow of Syrian goods to Iran in accordance with Iranian standards and measures.

For his part, MR. Al -Debs stressed the need to carry out work on the ground through the formation of joint committees between the parties to facilitate the work of the Syrian-Iranian industry and the establishment of joint companies in all industries common between the two countries.

The head of the Damascus and Damascus Countryside Chamber of Industry and the accompanying delegation also discussed with the head of Standards and Measures Organization, Nierra Peroz, ways to enhance cooperation between the two sides.

"The standards organization has its own specificity and importance in Iran, referring to the importance of cooperation with the Syrian side in forming joint committees," said Peroz Bakht. 

During the talks, the Syrian ambassador in Tehran clarified that the visit of the head of the Damascus Chamber of Industry and its accompanying delegation reflects the importance of cooperation with the Iranian side and affirmed the unlimited support of the Syrian government to build the industrial partnership and improve economic integration, adding that this meeting will contribute to removing obstacles to partnership between the two countries.

Sh. Kh.

Damascus - In the presence of the Prime Minister, Eng. Emad Khamis, a number of participants in the 42nd Annual General Conference of the Engineers Union presented several proposals to develop the work of engineers in various sectors and support vital and economic projects in the phase of reconstruction.

In response to the participants' interventions, the Prime Minister affirmed that the engineers are the men of reconstruction and development and real partners in the reconstruction phase and in building the future of Syria.

 He called for joining forces among government institutions, organizations, trade unions and the local community to face the current challenges imposed by the economic war on Syria.

The most important developments in the cement industry and the opportunities of developing companies working in this field and the investments available for the reconstruction phase, were among the main topics discussed by the participants in the first conference of cement technology in Syria which has been recently organized by CEM TEC for Cement Technology and Building Materials in cooperation with the Ministry of Industry at Al- Assad National Library.

Minister of Industry Eng. Mohamed Maan Zine El Abidine Jazbeh, stressed  the importance of the conference in highlighting the reality of cement industry in Syria and the role of this "vital industry" in meeting the needs of the construction and reconstruction process, the prospects of developing this industry and providing it with the latest technologies to be respond to the requirements of the reconstruction phase and reduce the cost of production, making their products competitive which will be reflected positively in the prices of facilities, residential and service buildings..

Director General of the General Establishment for Cement and Building Materials, Dr. Ayman Nabhan pointed out the importance of developing the Establishment's affiliated companies and rehabilitating the suspended public companies, as well as, disseminating the successful experiences of some establishments in benefiting from the available capacities in order to reduce production costs.

For his part, the General Manager of the organizing company, Gabriel Al-Ashhab, said that cooperation and coordination between the various bodies related to the cement industry contributes to providing the appropriate environment for this industry to meet the requirements for creating more companies working in this field such as finance and supply and providing raw materials, as well as developing expertise.

Damascus - Minister of Transport Eng. Ali Hamoud said that the investment contract of Tartous Port with the Russian side is a strategic project and will lead to large investments contribute to the re -construction of Syria, achieve very large economic revenues and maintain the existing workers in addition to attract new workers.

Eng.  Hamoud said in an interview with the Syrian channel on the details and terms of the contract that the length of the investment is 49 years, which is the same in all the contracts that are taking place in the world in relation to such large strategic projects and the amount of money injected, especially that Syria is building strategic partnerships with its friends, including Russia, whereas Tartous port will be one of the most important ports on the Mediterranean Sea.

"It was agreed with the Russian side on the management and investment of the port and putting new investments to open a new port commensurate with the geographical position of Syria and leads to large investments contribute to the reconstruction of Syria and the passage of goods through transit to neighboring countries to achieve a very large economic benefit, pointing out that the process of expanding the port to receive vessels whose cargo is more than double the load of existing vessels and the workers will be from Syria,'' the Minister said.

Regarding the Syrian revenues under the contract, Minister Hamoud said: "We have taken 25 percent of the revenues regardless of expenditures. This percentage will increase to 35 percent gradually with the completion of the port implementation."

 He said that by comparing what Syria could enter from the port with its current status and its highest level (mln 16 tones) per year, the income will be $ 24 million annually, but in the case of Russia's investment to the port, Syria will achieve $ 84 million a year, more than three times.

The Minister of Transport stressed that Syria did not abandon the port and it will be managed by a Syrian-friendly superpower, the Syrian state does not accept partnerships with companies from countries that fought the Syrian people who sacrificed and offered the martyrs in order to keep the sovereignty of Syrian decision and to remain free in our decisions and build our partnerships as we want and not as enemies want.

Sh. Kh.