Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi on Sunday stressed the need to develop the economic, commercial and development relations between Syria and Iran through activating the standing agreements and signing new ones.
“The government has taken all necessary measures to facilitate the flow of Iranian goods into the Syrian market,” said al-Halqi during a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister’s Special Advisor for Economic Affairs, Hassan Kazemi Qomi, heading an economic delegation.
The Iranian delegation included representatives of the Economic Development Committee, the National Iranian Trading Company and Export Development Bank and ministers of Transport, Health and Urban Development.
He explained that among these measures is exempting all Iranian imports from customs and tax fees, particularly for oil derivatives, wheat, potato and other food materials.
Premier al-Halqi focused on expanding the inter-trade base to secure the requirements of the citizens’ livelihood, particularly wheat, medicines and oil derivatives, in addition to implementing development projects in Syria to meet the needs of sustainable development.
Kazemi, in turn, pointed out that these meetings between both sides will push forward the efforts towards reaching practical steps on the commercial and economic levels.
He stressed that the Iranian side will work on implementing some development projects in Syria, especially in the fields of mills and electrical power, and will continue to supply Syria with its needs of essential materials.
Both sides agreed during the meeting to form subcommittees to follow up on the signed agreements in the fields of oil, electricity, medicine, banking and health, and overcome any obstacles that could stand in the path of implementing them.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, a number of ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank of Syria, the Iranian ambassador in Damascus, and directors of the Commercial Bank of Syria and the Petroleum Marketing Bureau, in addition to the Iranian delegation accompanying Kazemi which includes representatives of Iranian ministries, the Economic Development Committee, companies and banks.
In a statement to journalists after the meeting, Secretary General of the Prime Ministry Taisir al-Zoubi said that this meeting’s goal is to boost cooperation between the two countries and continuing trade exchange to provide petroleum products and essential goods needed by Syria.
Al-Zoubi said that the meeting discussed agreements on providing medical equipment and medicine for terminal diseases, in addition to providing the needs of the electricity sector in Syria, as Iran will work to further develop Jandar power plant and increase its output.
