Syria & Russia/ Joint Statement

Moscow, Jan. 25 (SANA)

Presidents Bashar al-Assad and Vladimir Putin of Russia signed a joint statement to continue deepening cooperation and friendship relations between the two countries.

The statement said that both sides stress keenness on enhancing bilateral relations based on the international law and principles of the UN Convention including the principle of equality, respect, confidence and mutual interest.

It added that the two sides express confidence that the 21st century world system should be built on the international legitimacy, taking into consideration the interest of all countries and mechanisms of formulating unanimous stances to solve international issues through the pivotal role the UN assumes.

Both sides also underlined that the UN correct and non-selective resolutions could contribute to boosting the Organization and Security Council’s respect in the international issues.

"Both sides call for putting a comprehensive strategy through the leading role of the UN to confront the newly- raised threats and challenges in the 21st century in order to make a progress to achieve the declared goals of the UN millennium statement," the joint statement added.

It said the two countries are committed to achieve strong cooperation and coordination under the umbrella of the UN and other international organizations in the central international issues to avoid eruption of regional disputes and conflicts and to solve them peacefully, in addition to combating the international systemized crime, drugs, money laundering, and in boosting the multi-sided stances to ensure the international security and stability and increase effectiveness of the UNSC and UN General Assembly.

In this context, the two sides agreed to make consultations on issues related to enhancing cooperation between Russia, the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic conference in which Syria is an active member.

Syria and Russia agreed to cooperate in the field of boosting international stability and preventing the proliferation of the weapons of mass destruction, pointing to importance of commitment to the UN Security Council resolution No. 1540 and freeing the Middle East from all kinds of WMD.

" Democracy and reforms in the Middle East should be in line with the historical, spiritual and civilization features of states and are strongly linked to the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the region", the statement added.

The two countries condemn all kinds of terrorism and assert the dire need for mobilizing the international community to fight this phenomena, asserting necessity for defining ‘ terrorism’ and combating its political, economic and geographical factors, including regional disputes.

They also announce that terrorism has no relation with ethnic or religious belonging and could never be considered as a clue for the alleged civilization conflict, expressing readiness for cementing joint action to fight international terrorism and the double-standard policy towards this phenomena, the organized crime, the illegitimate use of WMD and drugs smuggling.

In this regard, both sides agreed that signing an agreement on combating crime as soon as possible contributes to deepening cooperation between the two sides.

"Syria and Russia are to coordinate their efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on the UN Security Council resolutions No. 242, 338, 1515 and other relevant resolutions" the statement said, pointing out that quick resumption of non-preconditioned negotiations on the Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese tracks could help reach a just and comprehensive settlement that provides for Israel’s pullout of all the occupied Arab lands, the establishment of the Palestinian state and solving the problem of the refugees.

Regarding the Iraqi question, both sides stressed commitment to Iraq’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and security, asserting support to the underway political process in Iraq to achieve reconciliation and secure rights of all Iraqis regardless of their religious or ethnic belonging in line with the UN resolution No. 1546 whose implementation creates the proper conditions for the foreign troops pullout from the country.

The Joint statement said the two sides would promote to deepen the political dialogue and develop the comprehensive cooperation on exchanging contacts and visits of the Parliamentary delegations, noting that they would actively use coordination and consultation mechanism between the foreign ministries in both countries.

It added that the two sides were to enhance the mutual cooperation in the technical, scientific, trade and economic fields and they would give priority to dealing with energy, irrigation, oil and gas transit and exploration as well railways with the fertilizers production and mines industry with other domains that both sides are interested to develop cooperation in.

It pointed out that they would work to make contacts among the scientific institutions and the Higher Education institutions and they would further implement projects and joint programs in technical and scientific field as well the exchange of expertise and the available scientific information, taking into consideration the two countries’ needs and their international commitments.

It stressed the two sides would reactivate the Syrian-Russian Joint Permanent Committee for trade cooperation as well as technical, scientific and economic cooperation with the aim of the wide use of the available experience they have.

The statement noted the two sides would foster by all means businessmen ties and contacts development with their federations including the Syrian-Russian Businessmen Council.

It underlined that two sides would develop traditional cooperation in the military technical field in a way that meets mutual concerns of both countries and their international commitments.

It said the two sides would cooperate in providing legal assistance related to civil and family affaires as well as criminal and civil law in addition to accelerate an agreement signing in this respect.

The two sides have to support by all means cultural and human contact developments and cooperation including scholarships exchange among universities, institutes and the higher studies sections.

Syria and Russia will work to extend Arabic-Russian language scope of teaching in a balanced way in both countries, the statement said.

It called to adopt the needed procedures to facilitate contacts among Syrian and the Russian citizens for scientific, cultural, tourist and trade aims as well making private trips.