Arabic News Weekly Edition for Syria, 2/16/2004
Weekly Edition, Syria - Week of February 16, 2004
- Analysts: reforming Syria's economy needs acceleration and revitalization
Diplomats and analysts said that Syria needs more exerted efforts and greater speed to open up its economy which is controlled by the state, despite the return back of private banks to Syria after 40 years of absence. Syria, Politics, 2/21/2004 - Syrian- UAE first tourism forum
Syria's Tourism Minister, Sa'dalla Agha al-Qal'a has stressed Syria's care to deepen the standing relations of cooperation with the UAE in the different domains. United Arab Emirates-Syria, Economics, 2/21/2004 - al-Sharq al-Awsat: Turkish Ambassador: Syria, Turkey have common views over Iraqi issue Syria-Turkey, Politics, 2/21/2004
- Congress proposes to Bush give Syria one last chance
The democratic Congressman Gary Echerman called on the US president George W. Bush to give Syria one last chance to change its policies and to propose a "comprehensive and detailed" initiative in which he explains how Syria can change its behavior in a way that leads to improving relations with the US. Syria-USA, Politics, 2/20/2004 - al-Rai al-Aam: Satterfield stresses Syria's role in the region
Assistant of the US Secretary of State, David Satterfield, has stressed Syria's positive role in determining the future of Iraq. Syria-USA, Politics, 2/20/2004 - British embassy in Damascus denies closure
British Embassy in Damascus on Thursday denied that it was closed adding it is open for public, but with an early fixed appointment. Syria-UK, Politics, 2/20/2004 - Syrian information minister confers with US Ambassador Syria-USA, Politics, 2/20/2004
- Turkish Minister to visit Syria Syria-Turkey, Politics, 2/20/2004
- Syrian- Egyptian cooperation in immigrants relating issues Syria-Egypt, Politics, 2/19/2004
- Syrian- Yemeni oil agreement signed Damascus Syria-Yemen, Economics, 2/19/2004
- Syrian official source sees closure of British embassy in damascus as unnecessary measure
An official source at the Syrian Foreign Ministry said that the closure of part of the offices of the British Embassy in Damascus is due to security considerations assessed by the British authorities. Syria-UK, Politics, 2/19/2004 - Information Minister-called for deep dialogue between Muslim world and Europe
He added that this international forum which groups the minds of Moslems and Christians who believe that human intellect is the only guarantor and the indicator to the right and reason. Syria-European Union, Politics, 2/19/2004 - Al-Baz calls for reviving peace talks on the Syrian track
Egypt on Wednesday called for reviving the peace process on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks, saying Syria has expressed readiness for the resumption of the process on the basis of the UN resolutions 242 and 338 and the land-for-peace principle. Egypt-Syria, Politics, 2/19/2004 - Syrian- Iranian joint committee final statements
Syrian Premier Muhammad Naji Otari on Tuesday stressed that viewpoints between Syria and Iran were identical on the necessity of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region according to "Madrid conference", Land-for-peace principle and UN related resolutions that call on Israel to withdraw from Arab occupied territories to the line of June 4th, 1967. Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/18/2004 - Syrian Premier to visit to Tunisia
Prime Minister Naji Otari will on Feb 22 pay an official visit to Tunisia during which he co-chairs the Feb. 22-24 meetings of the joint Syrian-Tunisian Higher Committee. Syria-Tunisia, Politics, 2/18/2004 - London: our embassy in Damascus has been closed since one week Syria-UK, Politics, 2/18/2004
- Syrian Premier - Iranian Vice President chair joint Higher Committee-Meetings
The Syrian-Iranian Higher Committee, cochaired by the Iranian First Vice-President Mohammad Reda Aref and the Prime Minister Naji Otari began meetings at the headquarters of the Syrian Premiership. Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/17/2004 - Syrian- Kuwaiti relations are deeply rooted
Syria's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara stressed that the meeting of Iraq's neighboring countries was the most successful, describing its results as positive. Syria-Kuwait, Politics, 2/17/2004 - American presents for the Syrian ministry of culture
Minister of Culture Mahmoud al-Sayed on Monday received from Mrs. Margaret Scobey, US Ambassador to Syria, a present from the US Embassy in Damascus to the Syrian General Directorate of Archeology and Museums. Syria-USA, Politics, 2/17/2004 - Iran for boosting economic relations with Syria Syria-Iran, Politics, 2/17/2004
- Al-Assad ends the economic security court
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has abrogated the economic security court which was founded in 1977. It is the main extraordinary court in Syria in addition to the state security court which is specialized in political issues. Syria, Politics, 2/16/2004 - Information Minister outlines Syria's policy towards ME developments
Syria's Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan has confirmed that Syria always welcomes the resumption of negotiations from the point they stopped at, since it views that peace based on the international resolutions, "Madrid terms of reference" and Security Council resolutions 242 and 338, is its strategic option. Syria-Regional, Politics, 2/16/2004 - Hawatemah: Damascus expulsion of Palestinian groups is a debated issue
The secretary general of the Democratic Front for Liberation of Palestine, Nayef Hawatemah, said that Syria's expulsion of several leaders of the Palestinian leadership from its lands is a debated issue," stressing that "this matter is in the hand of the Syrian leadership which decides it." Syria-Palestine, Politics, 2/16/2004 - Agha Khan confers with Syrian ministers on bilateral cooperation
Prince Karim Agha Khan, the spiritual leader of the Ismaelite Moslems, received the Minister of Education Ali Saad in his residence on Sunday evening in Damascus. Syria, Local, 2/16/2004 - Khouri highlights Syrian- Lebanese relations Lebanon-Syria, Politics, 2/16/2004
- Al-Assad meets with Agha Khan Syria, Local, 2/16/2004
- AL-Shara describes results of Kuwait's meeting as positive, no infiltration from the Syrian borders to Iraq Syria-Iraq, Politics, 2/16/2004
- Al-Assad meets with Russian delegate, a message from Putin Syria-Russia, Politics, 2/16/2004