- Title: BULGARIA: Syria's President Bashar al-Assad arrives in Sophia on official visit
- Date: 9th November 2010
- Summary: SOFIA, BULGARIA (NOVEMBER 09, 2010) (REUTERS) "ALEXANDER NEVSKI" CATHEDRAL SNIPERS AT TOP OF CATHEDRAL BULGARIAN AND SYRIAN FLAGS VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS MARCHING, STANDING IN ROW
- Embargoed: 24th November 2010 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Bulgaria
- Country: Bulgaria
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA3QVDWSHX06GA83ACAJ4TQ5X9X
- Story Text: Syria's President Bashar al-Assad met his Bulgarian counterpart on Tuesday (November 9) in the country's capital, Sofia.
Al-Assad is in Bulgaria to hold bi-lateral talks with Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov in order to boost trade agreements between the two countries.
Accompanying the Syrian President on his state visit was Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem.
During the day's events al-Assad spoke of Syria's relationship with Turkey, a neighbouring country to both Syria and Bulgaria.
"The development of the relationship between Syria and Turkey is moving in the direction of strategic projects. Bulgaria is a direct neighbour to Turkey and there needs to be an integration of that infra-structure: Syria, Turkey and Bulgaria," said al-Assad addressing journalists.
The number of joint ventures between Turkey and Syria have been increasing, with Syria announcing in June that they were setting up a joint bank with Turkey's Ziraat.
Joint ventures, mostly in textiles, with Turkish companies make up half of the $650 million investments at the nearby Sheikh Najar industrial zone in Syria's Aleppo, according to official data, but overall Turkish investment in Syria remains minuscule.
Turkish exports to Syria, ranging from construction material to white goods and electronics, rose to $1.4 billion in 2009 from $1.1 billion the previous year. Syrian exports in return, mostly of oil, almost halved to $328 million in the same period.
Bulgaria also has trade links with Turkey, last month the economy and energy minister said they would start exporting electricity to Turkey.
"There will be a discussion in EU soon about relations between EU and Syria," said Bulgaria's Parvanov. "I can assure you that Bulgaria will be a most active player in forming the EU position towards Syria,'' he added.
The European Union has been trying for years to persuade Syria to sign an economic agreement that would lower trade tariffs between Europe and Syria and has clauses emphasising human rights and the rule of law.
Damascus has refused to sign the agreement it had sought for years, citing what it termed as infringements of Syrian sovereignty and uncertainty about economic benefits.
Syria has intensified a campaign of arrests of political opponents over the last two years while still enjoying international rehabilitation after years in isolation due to disputes with the West over its role in Lebanon and Iraq, and its support for militant groups. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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