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Damascus, SANA- The Syrian-Russian relations go beyond the boundaries of traditional relations as the two countries seek to build a system of new relations in the international policy based on balances, pluralism, breaking the unipolar system, rejecting the unilateral use of power as a solution to solve the international crises and adhering to the principle of dialogue as the main principle in relations between the countries.
Political relations
In 1994, the deep-rooted relations between the two countries witnessed significant developments and qualitative leaps on all the political, economic, social and military levels as Damascus and Moscow started to establish new levels of strategic cooperation and a comprehensive coordination in all files according to a joint and clear vision regarding the international and bilateral issues which are of mutual concern.
The two countries have exerted relentless efforts to prevent the major powers from exploiting international organizations to achieve their own interests away from the will of the nations that are adhering to their independence and sovereignty.
Russia declared that it stands by Syria in the face of the attempts of foreign and regional powers to impose certain agendas on it that contradict with the international law, the interests of the Syrian people and the independence of the Syrian state, and in the face of using the armed terrorist organizations as tools to achieve those agendas as Russia has used the veto four times at the UN Security Council against those powers to prevent their schemes of interfering in Syria through the international organizations in a violation of the principles according to which those organizations were established.
Russia has always reiterated that its support to Syria doesn’t stem from narrow self-interests, but it has always been based on the interests of the Syrian and Russian peoples and the principle of respecting the sovereignty of the states approved by the Security Council and the UN Charter.
The Russian support to Syria is also a principled and non-negotiable stance. Russia has worked tirelessly to provide convenient atmosphere for a political solution to the crisis in Syria, based on inter-Syrian national dialogue as it hosted two consultative meetings between the Syrian Government and opposition delegations, the latest of which was held last April as the two sides agreed on adopting a unified paper on assessing the status quo in Syria.
The Russian government hasn’t sat on the fence regarding terrorism as it has always been clear and courageous in condemning all forms of terrorism wherever they are from Afghanistan, to Iraq, Syria and Mali and in all the regions and states where the al-Qaeda terrorists have strongholds, holding the international community responsible for passing a number of international resolutions on countering terrorism without discriminating between the terrorists as the US and the West are doing.
The Russian Government has also supplied Syria with all requirements for ensuring the defense capabilities of the army and armed forces based on its duty as an ally that stands in the same trench in facing the common enemy which is terrorism. It mobilized its capabilities to prevent regional powers from any military intervention in Syria.
Economic relations
The outstanding relations between Syria and Russia have been positively reflected on alleviating the suffering of the Syrian people due to the unjust economic sanctions and the systematic terrorist aggression against Syria. this has been translated on the ground through the humanitarian aid sent by Russian people since the beginning of the crisis, as they have sent more than 20 planes loaded with relief and humanitarian aid, the latest of which was last May.
The two countries and peoples’ desire to enhance historic relations between them is also manifested through the continuation of the bilateral consultations and meetings on the political, economic, trade and cultural levels as the Syrian-Russian relations have witnessed a significant progress over the past few years that has been translated through mutual visits paid by senior officials from both countries.
President Bashar al-Assad’s visit to Russia in 2008 opened the door wide for developing the Syrian-Russian relations and pushing them forwards, and it reflected the high understanding and coordination between the two countries towards the issues on the regional and international levels, in addition to their keenness on enhancing the bilateral relations in all domains.
President al-Assad’s visits to Russia in 2005 and 2006 and his talks with President Vladimir Putin and the Russian officials and the agreements signed in the political and economic spheres have also reflected the rapidly developing relations between the two countries and their keenness on achieving a constant joint coordination towards the latest developments in the region and the world and regarding a number of issues of mutual concern, particularly in the economic field, and this was translated through signing a joint declaration document on further deepening the friendly relations and cooperation during President al-Assad’s visit in 2005.
In May 2010, then Russian President Dmitry Medvedev’s visit to Syria came as a translation of the two countries’ desire to enhance strategic partnership between them in all fields and to upgrade bilateral cooperation in all spheres, particularly in economy and trade sectors, in addition to their adherence to the principles and provisions of the international law, the UN Charter and the international conventions and agreements in force in which Syria and Russia are parts.
The trade relations between Syria and Russia are governed by a number of commercial agreements and protocols, on top of which the agreement signed in Damascus in 1993 between the Syrian and Russian governments on the trade, economic and technical cooperation. The agreement stipulates for taking all required measures to facilitate and encourage trade exchange and the economic and technical cooperation and enhancing the cooperation in the domains of power, irrigation, agriculture, industry, transport, oil and trade, in addition to an agreement on using convertible currencies in the payments between the two countries and activating the national and international exhibitions.
The agreement, on avoiding double taxation signed between Russia and Syria in September 2000, opened the door wide for developing the economic and trade relations between the two countries on the level of the public and private sectors.
In 2000, a trade agreement was also signed between the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce and the Russian chambers of commerce and industry. The agreement has contributed to broadening the trade and economic relations between businessmen from the two countries.
In 2004, the Russian-Arab Business Council (RABC) and the Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce signed an agreement of the Joint Russian-Syrian Bilateral Committee, and a few weeks later, the two countries signed a joint declaration on continuing the deepening of friendly relations and cooperation.
Russia also supplies Syria with oil, metals, wood, equipment, fertilizers, papers, pipes, tractors, corn and fodders, while it imports food products, vegetables, fruits, textiles, threads, fibers, cotton, shoes, household items, and furniture from Syria.
The Federation of Syrian Chambers of Commerce works side by side with the Russian-Arab Business Council on activating the Syrian-Russian economic and trade relations through seeking to establish trade markets and exhibitions in both countries and obtaining exemptions from the custom fees and working on signing an agreement on encouraging, protecting and guaranteeing the mutual investments, in addition to signing an agreement for facilitating the land and sea transport between the two countries and establishing a joint Syrian-Russian bank to facilitate the trade exchange between the two countries.
In the domain of oil, Syria signed a number of agreements with Russia for oil excavation, and production.
In May 2013, Syria and Russia signed a memorandum of understanding on the cooperation in the customs, and power and the two sides agreed on many issues and fields of economic and investment cooperation during the latest meeting that was organized by the Russian-Syrian Joint Committee in the Russian city of Sochi in October 2014.
The bilateral relations in the field of tourism
In the field of tourism, the signed agreements between the two countries have contributed to expanding the tourism cooperation and the join economic and tourist resources in a way that contributed to launching tourist projects before the Russian investors.
Syria also provides important facilitations for the Russian tourists through granting visas to the Russian tourist groups for free at the airports and on the borders.
The bilateral relations on the educational level
The Syrian-Russian relations also achieved qualitative leaps in the domains of culture and education as the Syrian Ministry of Education decided to teach the Russian language in the curricula as the students of the 7th grade of Basic Education schools can choose the French or the Russian language as a second language, and the Russian government decided this year to increase the number of the scholarships granted to the Syrian students by 50% in a way that comes in line with the capabilities of Russia and the needs of Syria.
Many of Russian experts work in the economic and construction sectors in Syria. Russian companies provide technical aid to Syria in the domains of power, oil, irrigation and water resources, in addition to the continued cooperation in the field of qualifying Syrian cadres at the Russian universities and institutes and exchanging delegations and experts between the academies in both countries.
Syria and Russia also work on encouraging the joint scientific research and the technical cooperation, particularly in high technology usage for peaceful purposes.
R.J/ Barry
