President Bashar al-Assad says Syria supports joint Arab action in the face of regional challenges, stressing that the Arab country attaches paramount significance to initiatives and mechanism that promote such an ideal.
‘What matters to Syria is the mechanisms, methods and the outcomes of the joint Arab action, as it is more concerned with actions than remarks,’ Assad said in a meeting with visiting Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra in Damascus on Monday, praising the Arab League as ‘a true reflection of the status quo in the Arab world.’
He also said that Syria ‘highly appreciates the stances of Algeria in support of Syria’s rights in all spheres.’
‘The Syrian nation will never forget Algeria’s positions, because it stood by us during the war we went through. We will always view it as a brotherly country that adheres to its principles and stands committed to Arabism,’ Assad added.
The Syrian president went on to note that Damascus is interested to open new chapters of cooperation with Algiers, and to expand brotherly relations between the Syrian and Algerian nations.
For his part, Lamamra hailed Syria as a founding member of the Arab League, and an essential and integral member of the Arab world.
He stressed that Algeria will continue to support Syria, and will coordinate with it in Arab and international arenas during the Arab League’s rotating presidency.
The top Algerian diplomat also voiced his country’s keenness to develop all-out bilateral ties with Syria, and hoped for regular sessions of Syrian-Algerian joint commissions in the near future.
Moreover, the two sides exchanged viewpoints on the promotions of the joint Arab action, both at the bilateral and the Arab League levels, and discussed measures aimed at confronting challenges facing Arabs.
Separately, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said Syria’s main concern is to promote unity among Arab countries in the face of common challenges.
He made the remarks in a joint press conference with his Algerian counterpart, stating that relations between the two Arab nations are deep-rooted.
‘Algeria has stood by the Syrian nation throughout the crisis. It has strongly denounced terrorism and Western sanctions imposed on Syria,’ Mekdad noted.
Lamamra said Algeria and Syria share common achievements and victories.
‘We reached an agreement on enhancement of economic and commercial cooperation in order to serve the interests of the Algerian and Syrian nations.
‘Syria’s vacant seat in the Arab League harms the joint Arab action,’ the top Algerian diplomat underlined.
Earlier this month, Lamamra called for the restoration of Syria’s membership in the Arab League as a founding member of the regional organisation, emphasising that his country strongly supports the reunification of Arab states.
Algerian Foreign Minister has called for the return of Syria to the Arab League, stating that his country supports the reunification of Arab states.
‘Algeria will do its utmost effort to unite and strengthen the common Arab will to confront collective challenges,’ Lamamra said at a meeting of Arab foreign ministers in the Lebanese capital city of Beirut on July 2.
He also emphasised that ‘Syria is a founding member of the Arab League and that Algeria is not opposed to its return to the organisation and reinstatement of its seat.’
The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in November 2011, citing an alleged crackdown by Damascus on opposition protests.
Syria has denounced the move as ‘illegal and a violation of the organisation’s charter.’
Syria was one of the six founding members of the Arab League in 1945. In recent months, an increasing number of countries and political parties have called for the reversal of its suspension from the Arab League.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has affirmed that all parties which have been involved in the global war on Syria have come to the realisation that Syria has triumphed and that it is an important side of resistance axis.
‘All those involved in the aggression and global war on Syria have realised that that they will not be able to do more than what they did over the past years at military and political levels, as they brought hundreds of thousands of terrorists and spent billions dollars on the media outlets and war, and they haven’t reached a conclusion,’ Sayyed Nasrallah said in an interview with al-Mayadeen TV channel.
He went on saying that ‘Syria is an essential part of resistance axis, so if the conflict with Israeli enemy is to be completed, no one can turn his back on Syria.
‘We have drones that can fly over the Israeli entity and then return without being downed, this has happened tens of times throughout past years,” Sayyed Nasrallah revealed.
“We have offense and defence naval capabilities enough to achieve the required deterrence and goals,’ Sayyed Nasrallah said. We’re capable of deterring the enemy and attack targets in any area of the occupied Palestinian territory, Sayyed Nasrallah added.
- The Syrian-Chinese Business Council held a farewell ceremony for China’s Ambassador in Damascus, Feng Biao, on the occasion of completing his mission, at Yafour tourist resort.
‘The Syrian-Chinese relations are historical, and deep-rooted due to the utmost efforts exerted by the two countries’ leaderships,’ Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Dr. Ayman Susan said in a speech during the ceremony, recalling ‘the remarkable contributions of Ambassador Biao in boosting the friendly relations between both countries’.
In turn, Ambassador Biao expressed his thanks and gratitude to President Bashar al-Assad, the Syrian government, the staff of Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Syrian-Chinese Business Council for cooperating with him to complete his tasks, highlighting the most important historical juncture that boosted bilateral relations, and taking part in reconstruction process of Syria.
Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade, Dr. Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil said : ‘China is the top strategic partner to Syria regarding production requirements, raw materials and goods.’
Minister of Education, Dr. Darem Tabbaa hailed the humanitarian role played by Ambassador Biao in facilitating the delivering of Chinese medical and financial aid.
For their part, both Chairman of Syrian-Chinese Business Council, Muhammad Hamsho and Chairman of Syrian-Chinese Friendship Committee at People’s Assembly, Bilal Al-Na’al appreciated the great role of Ambassador Biao in developing bilateral relations in all domains.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ambassador Biao was awarded two honour shields by Chairman of the Syrian-Chinese Business Council and Chairman of the Syrian-Chinese Friendship Committee at People’s Assembly.
- Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reiterated that only the Syrian people can decide the future of their country without foreign interference.
During a press conference with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry in Cairo on Sunday, Lavrov stressed, the importance of the international community supporting the solution in Syria in a way that preserves the country’s unity and sovereignty.
Lavrov pointed out that he had held a constructive dialogue with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, adding that there is an agreement on a number of regional and international files between Russia and Egypt.
Lavrov said that the second Russia-Africa summit is planned to be held in mid-2023.
He welcomed all the initiatives of the Egyptian side to join the Shanghai initiative, pointing out that Egypt will participate in the BRICS meeting.
- US backed-QSD militia raided several houses in Tabqah city, Raqqa western countryside, and kidnapped more than 15 youths to drove them its enforced recruitment camps.
Local sources said that the militia raided al-Mawaleh village in al-Jarniyah township, west of Raqqa city, and al-Sharkah village, north of the city.
‘The campaigns aim to pressure and displace the civilians in order to seize these villages and towns and replace them with affiliated armed groups.’
- One civilian was killed and 12 others were injured in a drone attack by terrorist organisations on a crowded gathering in Suqaylabiyah City in Hama countryside.
A drone equipped with high explosives attacked a crowd of civilians celebrating the opening of the Hagia Sophia Church.
The terrorist attack also caused material damage to the place.