DAMASCUS - Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqi, stressed that the directions which President Bashar al-Assad included in his speech at the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday set the guidelines for the government to meet its responsibilities towards the homeland and citizens.
Chairing the Cabinet's meeting on Wednesday, al-Halqi stressed the need for coordination between all ministries and collective efforts to take decisions that serve the national interest.
He called for exerting more efforts and communicating with citizens to follow up on their needs, solve their problems and meet their basic requirements.
The Premier reviewed the general situation in the country and what has been achieved in terms of confronting terrorism and the armed groups to restore security and stability to all Syrian areas.
Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs, Minister of Local Administration, Omar Ghalawanji, briefed the Cabinet on the efforts exerted to maintain and rehabilitate service sectors damaged by the armed groups to be put back into action.
He also presented a review on the relief efforts and humanitarian aid provided to the affected families, indicating that SYP 140 million were distributed to more than 14,300 of the most affected families in Damascus Countryside, Homs and Hasaka.
The Cabinet underlined the importance of combating corruption and taking necessary measures to hold negligent employees accountable.
In turn, Minister of State for National Reconciliation Affairs, Ali Haidar, briefed the Cabinet on the Ministry's meetings and communications with civil and social forces in the past week.
Afterward, the Cabinet approved a draft law on the railway protection force.
It stressed on giving the priority for martyrs' families in the Youth Employment Program for 2013.
In turn, Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources reviewed the scale of damage and transgressions caused by the armed groups to the oil and gas sector.
© SANA (Syria Arab News Agency) 2013
