DAMASCUS, 8 February 2005 — A large Russian trade delegation is scheduled to arrive here today to set up a mechanism and a work plan to boost trade exchange and investments between Moscow and Damascus.
It follows the first state visit by President Bashar Assad to Moscow late last month.
According to Dr. Rateb Al-Shallah, chairman of the Syrian Chambers of Commerce, the 30-member Russian delegation will be headed by his Russian counterpart Yvegini Premakov, a former diplomat and a strong ally of Syria.
“The two sides will discuss the trade relations and draw a plan and a work mechanism to enhance investments and bilateral economic cooperation,” he said. Trade issues would top the agenda of the Syrian-Russian Businessmen Council (SRBC), which would convene in Damascus tomorrow.
Al-Shallah pointed out that the Russians’ visit to Damascus will be “just the beginning” of a chain of important meetings between representatives of both public and private sectors in the two countries.
He said that such meetings would basically focus on finding the best means to better interpret all the accords signed between the two countries during Bashar’s four-day visit to Russia.
“President Bashar’s visit to Moscow last month has opened new horizons for strengthening bilateral cooperation in all fields, particularly at the economic level,” said Al-Shallah.
He added that Russian businessmen would also sign a number of individual trade agreements with their Syrian counterparts, including deals to set up various joint venture projects in both countries.
Abdulqader Sabra, deputy chairman of SRBC, said the Syrian tourist sector, in particular, would largely benefit from the various deals to be reached during the meetings. “We are seeking to attract Russian tourists to our sunny beaches as part of such accords,” he added.
During Bashar’s Jan. 24-27 visit to Moscow the two countries signed agreements to enhance political, cultural, tourist, and economic cooperation, including deals to boost cooperation in the fields of transportation, investments, gas and oil.