Damascus: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said that Qatar welcomes the new Syrian administration's positive moves, and that the Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will visit the country soon.
Addressing a joint press conference with Commander-in-Chief of the New Syrian Administration HE Ahmed Al Sharaa in the capital Damascus on Thursday, HE the Prime Minister said Doha hails measures to ensure the safety of civilians, the stability of state institutions, and the continuity of public services.
His Excellency conveyed HH the Amir's greetings and congratulations to the Syrian people on their victorious revolution, reiterating Doha's unrelenting support for Syrians.
Expressing delight at being in Damascus and the resumption of Qatar-Syria relations after a13-year hiatus, His Excellency said that today's meeting coincides Syria being on the cusp of a new phase, working to rebuild, develop, and maintain its stability.
His Excellency added Doha is reaching out to Syria to build a future partnership for the benefit of the two peoples and to back endeavors to provide sustainable public services to Syrians.
Today, a revival is being witnessed in Syria after many of its people were forcibly displaced or sought refuge in many countries over the past years, said His Excellency, voicing hopes the new administration would engage in the state-building efforts and the return of refugees.
Reiterating the State of Qatar's plans to press on technical support to restore the country's infrastructure, His Excellency highlighted an agreement under which Qatar would provide 200 megawatts of electricity, and gradually boosting it to more than 10 Syrian regions.
Moving to the humanitarian situation, His Excellency stressed the need for the international community to join hands to ensure a continued support, and to consider lifting the sanctions imposed on Syria as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, His Excellency dismissed the Israeli occupation's seizure of the buffer zones as reckless and condemnable acts, calling for an immediate withdrawal.
The State of Qatar will always stand by the Syrian people in their quest for peace and justice, and will permanently cooperate with the new Syrian administration on various international issues, primarily the lifting of sanctions, His Excellency told the press conference.
Speaking about the meeting with HE Al Sharaa, HE the Prime Minister said the deliberations covered many items, primarily boosting bilateral relations and discussing projects that may open a new era of development for the two peoples.
Also on the agenda were the latest international developments and the required support for the new Syrian administration to lift sanctions and streamline the work of other economic institutions.
His Excellency hailed the Qatari role in Syria as a moral and humanitarian duty towards Syrian brothers, reiterating that HH the Amir has always affirmed Qatar's unwavering support for all brotherly peoples.
His Excellency said the coming period will see a further momentum in the Qatari-Syrian projects and the relations between Qatari and Syrian businessmen.
For his part, HE Al Sharaa said the meeting addressed a host of political and economic aspects and the future of the region.
The strategic economic partnerships between Damascus and Doha in the coming days were discussed, HE Al Sharaa said, appreciating the State of Qatar's continuous support for the Syrian people and its great efforts to develop Syria.
The State of Qatar contributed to helping the Syrian people during their 14-year long ordeal and was always by their side until their triumph over the tyrannical regime, His Excellency added.
Meanwhile, Al Sharaa said the Israeli advance in the buffer zone came under the pretexts of the presence of Iranian and Hezbollah-linked militias, indicating that after the liberation of Damascus, there is no presence of these militias.
He noted that since the first moments of the Israeli advance, the new Syrian administration has been in talks with various international parties to confirm Syria's commitment to the 1974 agreement, stressing Syria's readiness and preparedness to receive UN forces and bring them into the region and work to protect them, until the situation returns to what it was before the Israeli advance.
HE Ahmed Al Sharaa lauded the State of Qatar's condemnation of this Israeli advance, and its active efforts to form a pressure opinion against it, through coordination and cooperation with Western and regional countries, indicating that there is a consensus on the mistake of the Israeli advance into the buffer zone, and the necessity of returning to the situation before that.
