Crespon: Syria's new tendencies are very positive
Syria-European Union, Politics, 6/1/2000

The delegation of the socialist members of the European parliament on Wednesday left Damascus following an official visit to Syria lasted for three days during which he met with the Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro and with the Syrian foreign minister and the ministers of planning and the economy as well as a group of Syrian businessmen. The delegation also visited the Syrian- European business center.

In a press conference he held in Damascus on Wednesday at the headquarters of the European Union in Damascus, the chairman of the delegation Enrique Baron Crespo said " I would first like to express our happiness that President Hafez al-Assad on April 20 signed the MEDA agreement between Syria and the European Union according to which the EU will finance 10 new projects at a cost of 500,000 Euros."

He added: " we have already started the implementation of this proposal, noting that the EU head of delegation in Damascus March Perieni has proposed a project to the minister of state for planning in Syria. He project is to establish a second Syrian- European Business Center." Mr. Crespo also noted other initiatives which all pour in the context of boosting co-operation between the European Union and Syria.

He said that there are several projects proposed by the EU aiming at Syria's openness and modernization so as to get Syria involved in the process of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership, effectively and efficiently He said " during our visit to Syria we held different visits to see closely how all fruits of cooperation have been cultivated concerning the level of cooperation between the European Union and Syria."

He added we have discussed with the Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara issues pertaining to the ME peace process. Issues fall in the course of the statements read by the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara at Lisbon conference held on May 25 and 26, when al-Shara's reiterated Syria's position regarding the ME peace process in that this process should be based on " honor and dignity and the restoration back of territories and that if an agreement will be attained concerning return back to June 1967 border lines, then negotiations on the Syrian- Israeli track can be resumed.

Concerning bilateral relations between Syria and the European Union, Crespo said " we encourage and recommend the Syrian government's statement which is still under discussion at the meantime at the Syrian people's Assembly, as this statement indicated twice the (good) relations between Syria and the EU. This however, gives us great encouragement."

He expressed hope that that the Syrian will and completing the peace process would contribute to developing Euro-Mediterranean relations and would accelerate signing and implementation all partnership Euro-Mediterranean partnership agreement.

On how he does view the recent several presidential decrees released in Syria for further economic reforms, Crespo said the " legislative laws taken in Syria are very positive, yet they are not enough to increase the volume of investment, as they are linked to economic openness to be maintained in the country.

As for the aids given by the European Union to Syria, the chairman of the European parliamentary group said that Syria has to be active and to use the money under its disposal in projects, the way stated in the partnership agreements, because they form the ground of the partnership agreements between the Syria and the Mediterranean state. We are not talking here in the framework of bilateral agreement between Syria and the European Union only, rather within a comprehensive program between the European Union and the Mediterranean states.." Crespo ended as saying to this effect that " if a certain country would not use assets put at its disposal in the context of the partnership framework, another country can make use of these assets, and this is, of course, according to the Euro-Mediterranean partnership agreement."

Previous Stories:
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