French Rapprochement Continues

Official and pro-government media in Syria focused on the growing economic relationship with France as officials from the country visited Damascus this week.



The visit follows President Bashar al-Assad’s visit to Paris earlier in the July, seen as an important step to rebuilding ties with France, and potentially other European states too.



Trade and economy minister Amer Husni Lutfi said bilateral trade and investment opportunities were now likely to grow, the state-run SANA news agency reported on July 24. Meeting the chairman of the French Senate’s Syria group, Philippe Marini, Lufti said trade and economic policies had been liberalised.



A day earlier, SANA reported that during a meeting with Syrian chamber of commerce head Rateb al-Shallah, Marini said was is keen to boost economic cooperation with Damascus. The two discussed the potential for using French technological input to improve trading on Syria’s stock market, as well as cooperation on education, banking, infrastructure, ports, water treatment and transport.



Al-Shallah told the pro-government website Syria Steps that the talks were “friendly and encouraging” and that Syria could benefit from French know-how.



Marini also met President al-Assad, and discussed the Syrian-Israeli peace process and the future of the French-sponsored Mediterranean Union, SANA reported.