Russia and Syria are working on a large strategic program in the field of economic cooperation. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told at a joint press conference with Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad.
"As for the tasks of restoring the Syrian economy, we have already made very serious decisions in recent weeks, which will significantly increase the ability of the Syrian Arab Republic to organize work in a systematic mode. We continue, of course, to provide humanitarian assistance: we have delivered 100 thousand tons of Russian wheat, these deliveries will continue, and now we are discussing concrete actions. Well, the output is a large strategic program of economic cooperation, " Lavrov said.
The Minister noted that the Syrian side has appointed a new co-chair of the bilateral intergovernmental trade and economic commission this month, and its full-scale meeting is being prepared for the beginning of next year, at which all these issues will be further analyzed and joint actions will be specified.
Lavrov pointed out that he had discussed with Mekdad the whole range of issues that are somehow related to the tasks of the Syrian settlement and the further deepening of bilateral strategic cooperation. "We condemn all actions that are expressed in the illegal presence of foreign armed forces on the territory of sovereign countries, in this case without any invitation or consent of the Syrian leadership," he added.
In turn, Mekdad stressed that Damascus highly appreciates the humanitarian assistance provided by Russia. "We have distributed this aid in all the cities of Syria. It is not conditional, as in the case of some countries that claim to provide such assistance to Syria, " he explained. - In any case, as my friend, Mr. Minister, mentioned, cooperation in the field of economy, trade, science, culture and technology will only develop. And we will see in the next days, weeks, its fruits."
Coordination of actions in the UN and OPCW
Lavrov also said that Russia and Syria had outlined concrete steps to further coordinate their actions in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) and other international platforms.
"We have agreed on specific issues of our coordination in international organizations, especially in the UN and OPCW," he said, adding that the parties proceed from the need to " continue the activity of the Astana format, the Astana troika." "This is the only international mechanism for promoting the Syrian settlement, which has proved its effectiveness and relevance in practice," the Russian Foreign Minister added.
According to him, as the military-political situation in Syria gradually improves, "it is necessary to support the results achieved by actions to solve socio-economic problems." "This will also contribute to the creation of the most favorable conditions for the return of refugees and internally displaced persons," Lavrov said. - The decision of tasks of socio-economic development of the country and solution of the problems faced by the Syrian people, prevent is illegal, and in terms of COVID-19, frankly, criminal unilateral sanctions against Syria announced by the US and some its allies."
"We also reiterate our condemnation of the continued illegal presence of foreign military contingents on the territory of Syria," the Russian Minister stressed.
The preamble to the Constitution of Syria
The Russian Foreign Minister also said that the introductory part of the Syrian constitution can be discussed at the January meeting of the Constitutional Committee in Geneva.
"We note the positive dynamics in the work of the Constitutional Committee and its Drafting Committee. They completed the 4th meeting at the beginning of the month and agreed to hold the 5th in January, " he said. - There were useful discussions on what is called the national framework. This refers to the principles on which a nation should ensure its identity. The next session will allow us to see how these principles can be translated into the language of the preamble of the constitution."
According to the Minister, the Constitutional Committee should not expect breakthroughs, it is required to "painstakingly consistent work on a permanent basis", since too many problems and contradictions have accumulated in Syria and in the situation around it, including due to the involvement of external players. "According to my assessment, yesterday this was shown during a meeting of the UN Security Council, [Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Syria] Geir Pedersen and his team adhere to this line. I believe that this is correct, " the Minister said.
The fourth meeting of the small group of the Syrian Constitutional Committee was held in Geneva from November 30 to December 4, with the participation of representatives of the Syrian government, the opposition and civil society. The parties failed to reach concrete agreements. Pedersen said that the fifth session is scheduled to be held on January 25.
The US position
The Russian Foreign Minister also said that the United States could not discuss its concerns about various issues directly and based on facts.
"Over the past four years, working with the current US administration, we have come to the conclusion that Americans cannot, do not want and do not know how to discuss their concerns on the basis of facts, honestly at the negotiating table, directly," he said.
According to Lavrov, the Americans and other western countries-allies of the United States " have developed a way to publicly accuse someone of something and then, without giving facts, try to make it part of the international agenda, make it a proven statement." "So they did in connection with the American elections, then there were lamentations about hackers, the same with the Skripals and now with Navalny," he explained.
As the Minister pointed out, it was the United States that prevented the appointment of a new Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for Libya. "Since January of this year, the post has been vacant, it was filled only the day before yesterday or yesterday, everyone knows that the Americans prevented the UN Secretary-General from appointing first a representative of Algeria to this post, then the African Union asked to appoint a representative of Ghana, which the Americans also did not miss. These facts are known to the whole world, " he said.
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: Russian Foreign Ministry
Based on materials from TASS