Great work ahead over Syria’s economic, social restoration - Putin

SOCHI, November 22. /TASS/. Syria’s social and economic restoration demands a large amount of work and the issue was discussed at a summit of Russian, Iranian, and Turkish presidents, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday after talks with Turkish and Iranian counterparts, Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Hassan Rouhani, in Sochi. The Russian president informed the counterparts of his talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad held earlier in the Russian Black Sea resort. Putin pointed out that "the Syrian government is adherent to principles of a peace solution to the political crisis and is ready for the constitutional reform and UN-monitored free elections." "At today’s talks we did not leave out an issue of Syria’s economic and social restoration. Loads of work should be done. Actually, the Syrians should be helped to rebuild infrastructure, to revive the industry, agriculture and trade and to reopen vital facilities - hospitals, schools and kindergartens," Putin said. Putin underlined that "it is a matter of crucial importance to multiply amounts of humanitarian aid to the population, demine the entire territory of Syria and to preserve the historic and cultural heritage." At the talks the three leaders agreed to "do their utmost to urge other states and regional and international organizations to get engaged in the work," he said. In conclusion, Putin expressed the hope that the accords reached at the trilateral talks "will help eventually accelerate the peace process in Syria, lower the risks of new conflicts and an increase in inter-ethnic and inter-confessional confrontation, and as a result, will have the most positive influence on the situation in the Middle East." Read more