European efforts to accelerate final signing of the Syria-EU Association Agreement
Syria-European Union, Politics, 11/3/2004

Netherlands Extraordinary Ambassador in Damascus Rodreck Van Schreven stressed that the Syria-EU association agreement gained importance for 25 European states have become directly involved in relations with Syria, Al-Thawra daily said Tuesday.

In a statement to the daily, Van Schreven said that in case any pressures were put on one of the European states or Syria, we had to ease these pressures because of the partnership accord.

On the economic side, the Ambassador underlined that the agreement was not a mere trade exchange, but it included very important points like the economic reforms, banking system and protecting the possession.

He added that Syria was facing a great challenges in the field of improving its products to meet the European standards in order to reach the European consumers, asserting that the exports and imports operation between Syria and the EU should be balanced.

On rehabilitation and training of the Syrian personnel, he pointed out that MEDA Program should carry out this mission, adding that an agreement was lately signed on presenting 80 million Euros in addition to other programs to support development programs in Syria, like school programs.

The ambassador called on Syrian expatriates to invest their money in their homeland, expressing appreciation over Expatriates Minister Bouthaina Shaaban's efforts to activate the expatriates investments in Syria, the paper quoted.

On increasing the investment in Syria, he expressed hope that the Netherlands and European Companies will have great chance to invest and to establish projects in Syria due to Syria's important geographical position and the carrying out of the Arab Free Trade Zone Agreement next year.

For his part, Italy's Ambassador in Damascus Francisco Chirolli, stated to al-Thawra daily that Syria would benefit from the partnership agreement through the entrance of its products to the European markets, particularly the agricultural products.

Chirolli added that Syria ought to improve its products to meet the European standards, indicating that Italy has funded three projects in Syria on improving olive oil production, milk and cheese production and to ease the measures of entering the Syrian textile products to the other countries.

He asserted that his country has been exerting all efforts to initial the Syrian-EU Partnership Agreement, expressing the hope to ratify it as soon as possible, the daily said.

Previous Stories:
  Syria-EU Partnership Association initials signed in Brussels   (10/20/2004)
  Syria, EU to sign Association Agreement October 19   (10/9/2004)
  Last impediments before the Syria- EU association agreement removed   (9/22/2004)

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