DAMASCUS, (ST)- Syria and Iran have discussed means of boosting economic cooperation and trade exchange.

Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection Dr. Atef Naddaf and a delegation representing the Syrian-Iranian Joint Chamber of Commerce discussed during a meeting on Monday means of enhancing bilateral ties as well as opening new economic cooperation prospects.

Dr. Naddaf underscored the need to continue the contacts between the Syrian and Iranian  businessmen and members of  the joint Syrian-Iranian Chamber of Commerce in order to hold joint exhibitions and signing cooperation agreements which  guarantee the flow of goods and materials into the markets in both countries.

Damascus Chamber of Commerce has recently  launched three initiatives as well as commercial entrepreneurship-related activities to encourage the young entrepreneurs' works, promote the culture of entrepreneurship,  encourage innovative ideas and provide business  and consultation services for emerging business sector comprising young entrepreneurs who seek establishing their own businesses and services projects.

 The first activity includes launching an annual award titled "Damascus Chamber of Commerce’s Award  for Commercial Entrepreneurship" with the aim of selecting distinguished commercial entrepreneurs and honoring their spirit of initiative as well as highlighting entrepreneurs and owners of the successful business ideas within the framework of the activity of the Chamber's Center for commercial entrepreneurship and the Incubator of trade business.

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.