Syria and Russia meet to develop cooperation in the areas of financial control, customs and education

Damascus, (ST) – Discussions and meetings between the Syrian and Russian sides continued at the Conferences Palace in Damascus, as part of the work of the fifth Syrian-Russian joint meeting to follow up on the international conference on the return of Syrian refugees and displaced persons.

During a working meeting, the Syrian Customs Authority discussed with representatives of the Russian Customs Authority the creation of a joint database between the two sides, to control smuggled goods and facilitate commercial procedures.

In a statement to SANA reporter, Maher Hassan, the Director of anti-smuggling in Syria, affirmed that the aim of the meeting is to enhance the cooperation relations between the two sides, benefit from experiences, and create a data bank to facilitate transactions and commercial procedures. He added that the meeting also aims to work on electronic connectivity in a way that will benefit both sides.

In the context of improving the quality of public administration, the Central Financial Control Authority discussed with the Accounts Chamber of the Russian Federation means of developing the management of public institutions in light of the sanctions imposed on Syria by some countries.

In a statement to SANA reporter, the Head of the Central Organization for Financial Supervision, Muhammad Abdul Karim Barq said that the meeting came within the framework of coordination and cooperation between the two sides in the field of financial supervision, because the two bodies are members of the World Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions, which focuses on exchanging experiences and knowledge between its member supervisory bodies.

For her part, a member of the Board of Directors of the Accounts Chamber in Russia, Svetlana Orlova, indicated that the issue of the sanctions imposed on the two countries was reviewed in the meeting between the two sides. They discussed the mechanism for providing the required aid and support to various industries and agriculture, and the search for mechanisms to export the required Syrian products, and means of enhancing the work of public authorities in Russia and Syria, especially in the field of anti-corruption.

In another context, representatives of the Ryazan State University of Radio Engineering and members of  the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research in Syria discussed the possibility of signing a joint cooperation agreement.

In a statement to reporters, Director of the Institute of International Activities and Language Department of Ryazan State University Natalia Yeselina said that the meeting comes within the framework of strengthening cooperation between the local government in Ryazan, the University of Radio Engineering and the Ministry of Higher Education.

The Head of Al-Manara University, Safwan Al-Assaf, said in a statement to SANA that the university is moving towards upgrading all scientific levels to be at the level of international universities.

Raghda Sawas