On the new Syrian governments
Syria, Politics, 12/17/2001

A report issued by the London- based al-Hayat daily on Sunday about the new Syrian government said that the share of the Baath party has been reduced in this government from 26 ministers to 19.

The paper said that the Baath party has lost two it used to occupy since 1963, they are the ministry of tourism which is assumed by Saad Allah Agha al-Qalaa' ( who is very close to President Bashar al-Assad) and the ministry of supply and internal trade which used to be one of the Baath Party pillars in its socialist polices. This ministry has gone to the communist Adnan Khuzam.

The paper added that besides those political party change, the greater indicator for the nature of economic openness in the future appeared in giving the ministry of the economy to Ghassan al-Refaai, the expert at the world Bank.

The paper indicated that al- Refaai, together with the minister of industry Issam al-Zaem, the finance minister Muhammad al-Atrash, tourism Agha al-Qalaa' are all independent ( in terms of party affiliation) and have doctorates from Paris and London universities.

The paper explained that for all of these business men circles are optimist over implementing decision issued during the recent months in the area of economic reforms and to strengthening relations with the West.

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