Iran vice president Syria visit to strengthen ties
Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/22/2006

Iran's First Vice-President Parviz Davoudi left Tehran for Damascus, Syria, Wednesday morning for an official three-day visit.

Talking to reporters before his departure, Davoudi said he was visiting Syria to attend the Iran-Syria Joint High Committee session.

"Iran attaches special importance to its political, economic and cultural relations with Syria. The two sides have always desired to expand their relations," he said.

"We are also determined to settle the problems related to projects Iran had been undertaking in Syria and prepare conditions for implementing new projects in that country," he added.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development Mohammad Saeedi-Kia, Minister of Agricultural Jihad Mohammad Reza Eskandari, Minister of Energy Parviz Fattah and Iranian Ambassador to Syria Mohammad Hassan Akhtari are accompanying the first vice-president in this trip.

Davoudi and Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Ottri are to co-chair the upcoming joint high committee session. The last session of the committee was held in February 2005 in Tehran.

Bilateral cooperation between the two countries has been valued at about 750 million dollars arising mainly from exports of technical and engineering services as well as industrial projects implemented or under implementation by Iranian firms in Syria.

Trade exchanges between the two countries stood at some 100 million dollars in 2005.

Over 350,000 Iranian pilgrims visit holy sites in Syria annually.

Senior officials of Iran and Syria have called for enhancement of bilateral cooperation to the tune of three billion dollars.

Davoudi will wrap up his Syria visit on Friday.

Previous Stories:
  Syria-Iran: US offensive promotes urgent meeting   (2/21/2006)
  Iran's 1st VP to visit Syria in near future: embassy source   (2/15/2006)
  Rafsanjani condems threats against Syria   (1/30/2006)
  al-Thawra: First Syrian car next June   (1/17/2006)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search