Damascus, SANA – Finance Minister, Mohammad Abazid met Wednesday with a delegation from the European Union (EU) mission to Syria, headed by the mission’s chargé d’affaires, Michael Ohnmacht and European diplomat, Hélène Le Gal.
Talks during the meeting tackled ways to enhance relations between Syria and the European Union while underlining the necessity of lifting sanctions imposed on Syria during the reign of the previous regime.
Minister Abazid commended the European Union’s positive step in suspending some provisions of the sanctions against Syria for one year, calling for further progress in this regard to achieve a complete and permanent lifting of sanctions on Syria, especially those related to the financial, banking, oil, and investment sectors.
Minister of Finance added that the complete lifting of sanctions on Syria would pave the way for the influx of new investments into the country, both from the European Union and other countries around the world. This, in turn, would have a positive impact on the Syrian economy and significantly contribute to improving the living conditions of the Syrian people.
Abazid called for unfreezing the Syrian government assets in European banks, as there is no longer any justification for maintaining these sanctions after the fall of the regime.
He expressed hope for improving relations between Syria and Western Europe and transforming Syria into a source of security and peace, unlike what it had been during the era of the former regime.
Following the meeting, Director of Planning, Studies, and International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance, Mohammad al-Atasi told SANA that the meeting between the Syrian and European sides touched on a number of issues, most notably the lifting of sanctions on Syria, particularly those related to the financial, banking, and investment sectors.
Al-Atasi added that the European partners expressed their intention and desire to lift the sanctions, noting that this may take some time and require several procedures.
He hoped that this meeting would be the prelude to many effective meetings on which decisions would be based that serve the interests of the Syrian people.
Manar Salameh/Ruaa al-Jazaeri
