Syria, Iran Sign Economic Mous, Call For Closer Ties
Iran and Syria signed here Wednesday two memorandums of understanding (MoU) in economic sectors, as Iran’s First Vice President Mohammad-Reza Rahimi said the two countries’ economic ties will be further enhanced as they enjoy high economic potentials.
Iran will provide power engineering equipment worth 50 million euros (about 66.6 million U.S. dollars) to Syria within 20 months. Also, a one-billion-euro (1.3 billion dollars) credit line will be opened between the Bank of Iran Exports Development and the Syrian Trade Bank for mutual transactions, according to Iran’s state IRIB TV.
The two sides also discussed the situation in Syria. Visiting Syrian Prime Minister Wael al-Halqi said at a joint press conference with Rahimi that if armed opposition groups lay down their arms, Syria will start talks with them.
Rahimi expressed hope that the conflicts in Syria will end and national dialogue for establishing peace and stability will start in the country.
Al-Halqi thanked Iran for what he called the Islamic republic’s attempts for restoring peace and stability in the Arab state, adding that the agreements will serve as the supports for the Syrian national economy and infrastructure, according to the report.
The supports from countries like Iran will help nullify the ” plots” of the Syrian enemies, added al-Halqi who left Tehran Wednesday evening after a two-day official visit.
On Tuesday, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad called for enhancing relation with Syria in different fields.
Urging comprehensive ties with the Arab state, the Iranian president said that “The relations between two countries in different areas are for the advantage of both nations and the regional people.”
Iran and Syria should use their economic potentials for the benefit of their people, he said at a meeting with al-Halqi.
Referring to the hard times of the Syrian people, the Iranian president expressed hope that the “plots” against Syria would come to an end “soon” and peace and security will be restored in the country.
With no doubt, the Syrian people would come out of the current hard situation, he said, adding that the best solution to the Syrian crisis was to stop conflicts and to hold free elections.
For his part, al-Halqi said after successive failures in Syria, the enemies of the Syrian nation had resorted to the destruction of infrastructures in the country.
The Western countries were seeking to put the Syrians under the economic pressure, but the Syrian people would stand against them, he said.
Before meeting with Iranian president, the Syrian prime minister also met with the country’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Secretary Saeed Jalili.
During the meeting, Jalili said that supporting the Syrian government would thwart the plans of Israel and Western countries in the Arab state, semi-official Mehr news agency reported Tuesday.
He said the destruction of Syrian infrastructures by opposition groups was aimed at hurting the Syrian nation.
The Iranian official praised the “resistance” of the Syrian government against foreign intervention, saying that “all (of us) should back the resistance in Syria to frustrate the objectives of the Zionist regime (of Israel) and its supporters.”
The logic of the Western countries and supporters of the ” terrorists groups” in Syria did not conform to the international criteria and could not be defended, he was quoted as saying.
The Syrian prime minister also said the “terrorists groups” did not respect the humanitarian codes and targeted all the infrastructures in Syria in a bid to pressure the Syrian people, according to Mehr
Xinhuanet
