Global Arab Network | Syria, Tunisia boosting political relations & economic cooperation

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Syria, Tunisia boosting political relations & economic cooperation

- Hannan Taha

Sunday, 11 July 2010 11:46

Syria_Tunisia_Bashar_al-Assad_Zine_El_Abidine_Ben_Ali

Syria (Damascus) Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Mrs. Asma al-Assad will pay a 2-day official visit to Tunisia on July 12 at the invitation of Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of and First Lady , Syrian State News Agency reported.

President al-Assad will hold talks on bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Arab and international arenas.

President al-Assad held talks with President Ben Ali on the sidelines of the Arab summit held in Sirte, Libya, last March. The talks emphasized the importance of establishing a strong and effective Arab cooperation to meet the Arab people's aspirations.

Last February, the Tunisian President received a message from President al-Assad on the situation in the Arab arena and means of restoring Arab solidarity and building a unified Arab stance to face the current challenges.

Tunisian Ambassador in Damascus Mohammad Oweiti described the scheduled visit of President Bashar al-Assad to Tunisia embodies the fraternal, historic and close ties linking Syria and Tunisia.

In a statement to Syrian State News Agency, the Ambassador said the visit is a turning point for a stage of integrated cooperation to upgrade to the level of the excellent political relations between the two countries.

Ambassador Oweiti stressed his country's support to Syria's right to restore to the entire occupied Syrian Golan. He pointed to the continued coordination and cooperation between the two countries regarding the Arab, regional and international issues and their deep interest in pushing the inter-Arab cooperation forwards, particularly following the global financial crisis which has confirmed that the joint Arab action is not only a choice but rather a need.

The Tunisian ambassador said the two countries are connected by more than 150 agreements, calling for increasing cooperation and trade exchange and activating the signed agreements to include all fields of cooperation, particularly in fields of manufacturing car spare parts and olive oil.

Oweiti indicted to the two countries' interest in activating the joint Arab action in the economic and investment fields and move to carry out the recommendations of the Arab Economic Summit held in Kuwait in January 2009, in a way that meets the Arab economic aspirations.

President al-Assad's visit to Tunisia in 2001 and his participation in the Arab Summit held in Tunis in 2004 and Tunisian President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali participation in Damascus Summit in 2008 have contributed in enhancing and consolidating bilateral relations in all domains.

The meetings of the Syrian-Tunisian Higher Committee also contributed in activating bilateral cooperation in the trade, economic, investment, industrial and tourist fields as well as in the exhibitions and international markets and exchanging the national goods. During the meetings of 11th session of the Higher Committee held in Tunis last May, 6 documents were signed: The work executive program between Export Promotion Center (CEPEX) in Tunisia and the Syrian Board for Developing and Marketing the Syrian Exports, Cooperation protocol between Syrian Tartous and Tunisian Sfax ports, executive program on cooperation on Higher education, a memo of understanding on developing micro and medium-sized enterprises and a framework agreement between the Central Bank of Syria and the Central Bank of Tunisia.

The volume of trade exchange between Syria and Tunisia reached more than USD 37,68 million in 2009 compared to USD 25,29 million in 2008, while it reached, during the first three months of this year to about USD 15 million.

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