Syrian Envoy urges Indian companies to help rebuild Syria

New Delhi [India], Aug 1 (ANI): Syrian Ambassador to India Dr. Riad Abbas on Wednesday appealed to the Indian companies to come forward to help the Syrian government to rebuild the war-torn country.

Addressing media here, Abbas invited Indian investors and business companies to invest in Syria.

He said, "Our priority is that Indian companies come and help us rebuild Syria and we are open for Indian investors and businesses. The gates to Syria are open for Indian companies and all facilities will be provided there."

Abbas informed that a high-level Indian business delegation, along with government officials would be visiting Syria in the first week of September.

Asserting that the "gameplan" against Syria was over, Abbas asserted, "Syria was able to defeat terrorists and all the conspiracies against Syria. Now we are planning to rebuild Syria and we are looking for help from our friends especially India."

Thanking the Indian government for standing with Syria during the conflict, he added, "The Syrian government appreciates India's stand on Syria. We are thankful to the Indian government for providing help during the crisis, especially in providing medical aids and food. We distributed all of them to the needy."

Furthermore, he invited the Indian companies and investors to participate in the forthcoming 60th Damascus International Trade Fair.

Abbas continued, "There will be chances of signing more agreements for ensuring stability in Syria. We will start giving incentives to Indian and international companies for participating in the fair. I invite all to come and cover the fair."

The Syrian envoy also appreciated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiative of providing scholarships to 1,000 Syrian students to study in India.

Delving into the bloody eight-year-old conflict, Abbas said that Syria was "now more open than never before" after eight years, while adding that government forces and Syrian Army collectively defeated the terrorists.

Claiming that the Arab Spring was an attempt to destabilise Syria, Abbas said, "This was done to safeguard the security of Israel, control natural resources in Syria, extend pipelines from Qatar to Syria to Europe."

He also recalled the commitment made by US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in their meeting at Helsinki last month, wherein the two leaders decided that the people of Syria should play a role in ending the crisis in the war-ravaged country.

Clearing the air over Syrian President Bashar-al Assad's ouster by the international community, Abbas said that he will remain in power.

He rejected claims of US' remarks on Syria training, supporting, arming and financing terrorists in Syria.

Abbas noted that the southern part of Syria was liberated and now the focus was on freeing other places occupied by terrorists and foreign armies by whole means.

The Syrian envoy also rebuffed "fake reports" of the White Helmets, a voluntary aide group accusing Syria of carrying out chemical attacks in its territory, and called it a "fake play."

Hitting out at Turkey for not honouring the commitment of ensuring stability in Syria, Abbas further said, "They sent their own troops for their own objectives and are based where the terrorists are present. They are forcing Syrian people to use Turkish currency in our own territory."

Syria has been embroiled in a civil war since 2011. The war further aggravated by the entry of Islamic State (IS) capturing territories in the war-torn country and nearby Iraq.

Subsequently, the US-led coalition started launching airstrikes against the terror group in the war-ravaged country since 2014, killing thousands of civilians and displacing several others.

Although the IS has been driven out from various parts of Syria, it still holds a sizeable presence in remote parts of the country. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI