Syrian premier confers with French industry minister, asks for updating laws

Syrian Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa Miro received the French minister of oil and industry, Christian Pierret, and members of the accompanying delegation on Wednesday in Damascus.

Present at the meeting were Syrian Minister of Oil Maher Jamal and the French ambassador in Damascus.

Talks dealt with trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation relations between the two countries and the available potential to develop and verify these relations to serve the mutual interests of the two friendly peoples and countries.

Discussions centered on cooperation relations in the areas of communications, telecommunications, oil and mineral resources and industry, as well as the projects the French side intends to implement in Syria.

The two sides also discussed maintaining cooperation in the areas of technology transfer, training and technical qualifications for the institutions and the individuals on putting a set and specific mechanism for implementing bilateral cooperation agreement.

The visiting French minister noted the great hopes pinned by France under President Chirac on developing political, economic, scientific and technical and cultural relations to the level of equal and real partnership and to develop these relations as an embodiment of the joint will of the two countries.

Meanwhile, Miro issued a statement in which he asked all the ministries to immediately start, in coordination with their affiliated establishments and companies, to review all legislation and regulations by a committee formed by specialized and qualified cadres to make this revision and then to submit their reports on this issue to the prime minister as soon as possible.