Syria, EU to sign Association Agreement October 19

The European Commission announced on Thursday that the EU-Syria Association agreement would be initiated on October 19 in Brussels.

EU External Relations spokesperson Emma Udwine said in a statement the accord would be inked at the level of main negotiators from both sides.

Head of the State Planning Board and Chairman of the Syrian negotiating team Abdullah al-Dardari told al-Baath newspaper on Friday there have been accelerating steps to commence the accord.

Dardari is going to sign the accord from the Syrian side while Head of the EU negotiating team Christian Leffler will ink the accord from the European side.

A final reading is currently taking place by the technical committee and there will be technical meetings between the two sides in Brussels in this respect.

Dardari said the initiating would be in the English Language due to its being the language of negotiations while the final signatory would be in English, Arabic, German and French.

"The signatory will pose as a set off towards a new phase that will be followed by final inking and ratification by both sides," He said.

A press conference will be made by the Syrians after the initiating to clarify the political, economic and strategic dimensions of this significant event.