Damascus - Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah al-Dardari stressed the importance of upgrading the economic, trade and developmental relations between Syria and the European Union, pointing to the economic, financial and developmental reforms Syria is witnessing.
Meeting EU Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule on Tuesday, al-Dardari underlined Syria's desire to establish best relations with the EU member countries in the commercial and investment fields.
He touched upon the future plans of the Syrian government aiming at creating a true overall development, calling on the EU companies and businessmen to contribute in the underway developmental rise in Syria.
Both sides discussed the growing cooperation relations between Syria and the EU and means of boosting them through opening new spheres and creating opportunities for joint work.
For his part, Fule expressed the EU countries' desire to bolster relations with Syria in various domains.
Al-Moallem, Fule Discuss Cooperation between Syria, EU
In a similar meeting, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem discussed with Fule and the accompanying delegation the standing cooperation between Syria and the EU and means for developing and expanding it.
Fule expressed the Union's desire to sign the EU-Syria Association Agreement as soon as possible, affirming the European side's readiness to be involved in a serious dialogue regarding Syria's concerns to guarantee positive results for this agreement.
Al-Moallem briefed Fule and the accompanying delegation on the Syrian viewpoint regarding the regional situation, particularly the peace process. The Minister called on the EU to take an active role in forcing Israel to fulfill the requirements of just and comprehensive peace according to international legitimacy resolutions and the land-for-peace principle.
Fule Inspects EU Programs for Refugees at UNRWA Training Center
Later, Fule inspected the programs sponsored by the EU at the Damascus training center of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA).
In a statement to the press following his tour of the center, Fule said that support isn't limited to providing aid to refugees; it is an advanced program that takes the refugees' needs into consideration and helps them to enter the job market.
He lauded the support provided by the Syrian government to the refugees, noting that the programs he witnessed are a good example that must be applied across the region.
The EU sponsors two UNRWA programs; one for vocational training and the other for supporting youths.
The UNRWA training center provides several twp-year technical and vocational training courses to more than 1,000 Palestinian students, with 80% of them finding jobs upon finishing the courses. The center recently launched three-month courses for training workers.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2011
