Day: March 20, 2023

It is the United States, not China, that is providing weapons to the Ukrainian battlefield, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said Monday.

“China has always upheld an objective and fair position on the Ukraine issue. All that China has done is to promote talks for peace,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a news briefing in response to a relevant query.

China always stands on the side of peace and dialogue, and on the right side of history. China will continue to play a constructive role in the political settlement of the Ukraine crisis, he said.

“It is the United States, not China, that is providing weapons to the Ukrainian battlefield,” Wang said, urging the United States to stop adding fuel to the fire, and cease its lecturing, coercing and intimidating of other countries.

The United States should play a constructive role in finding a political settlement for the Ukraine crisis, rather than doing the opposite, Wang added.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

Moscow and Beijing have many common goals and tasks, Russian President Vladimir Putin said at a meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in the Kremlin on Monday.

“We have a lot of common goals, tasks,” Putin said. “I know that you personally, all our Chinese friends pay much attention to the development of Sino-Russian relations,” he told the Chinese leader.

The Russian president also said that trade turnover between the two countries “more than doubled” in 2022 to $185 bln.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Fayssal Mikdad, discussed Monday with Mr. Kamal Kharrazi, Iran’s former foreign Minister and Head of Iran Strategic Council on Foreign Relations, different aspects of bilateral relations and the economic cooperation.

The talks also tackled the latest regional and international developments.

Mikdad highly appreciated Iran’s efforts and the humanitarian aid it provided for the earthquake- affected people.

“Syria highly values Iran’s support in the war on terror,” Mikdad said, describing relations between Syria and Iran as deep and strong.

Kharrazi, for his part, reaffirmed his country’s support for Syria, calling for intensifying the joint action in the light of the new regional developments.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

An Irish tourist group visited Sunday Bosra al-Sham city to watch its archaeological ruins.

The group, which comprises physicians, physiotherapists, economists and a natural scientist, expressed great admiration of the old city and its unique archeological monuments.

The tourist guide accompanying the group, Mohammad al-Bahra, told SANA that the tourist group has admired Bosra city, and they affirmed that they would convey a civilized image about the city to the Irish people.

Al-Bahra added that the tourists hailed the efforts exerted by tourism and archaeological sectors in terms of securing protection for archaeological sites.

The tourists affirmed that Syria has begun to recover and return again to play its role as one of the world’s tourist destinations.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

Syria and Palestine discussed Sunday the repercussions of the earthquake which has jolted the country, and the national campaign “help them” launched by Palestinian people to collect donations to support the Syrians and address their needs during this difficult stage.

That came during a meeting which brought together Minister of Social Affairs and Labor, Mohamed Seif El-Din, Palestinian Minister of Endowments and Religious Affairs Hatem al-Bakri and Palestinian Ambassador in Damascus, Samir al-Rifai.

Seif El-Din thanked the Palestinian leadership and people for supporting Syria which has been the main supporter throughout history for the just causes of the Palestinians and has given them all privileges of citizenship on its territory.

He stressed that Palestine will remain Syria’s main cause till the Palestinian people restore their rights.

Minister Seif El-Din touched on the effects of terrorist war and the unjust embargo imposed on Syria, in addition to the earthquake effects on the economy and living conditions of the Syrians.

For his part, minister al-Bakri stressed the Palestinians’ support for the Syrian leadership and people, expressing hope that Syria will return strong and practice its pioneering role in the Arab and Islamic arenas.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

The National Earthquake Center (NEC) has announced that the number of quakes occurred over the past 24 hours till Monday morning has reached up to 19 weak tremors.

The Center stated in a statement that the stations of the National Seismological Network recorded four quakes in Liwa Iskenderun area, and two quakes in Lattakia, the first 19 km southeast of Lattakia, and the second 38 km east of Lattakia

Another two tremors have been monitored, the first 22km southwest of Idleb and the second is 39km northwest of Idleb, in addition to three quakes in the Mediterranean Sea, one quake on the Syrian-Turkish border and seven quakes in Turkey.

The center added that the magnitude of the tremors ranged between 1.5 and 3.9 and they were recorded at different depths, reaching 36.3 km.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

The parties involved can find a rational way out of the crisis in Ukraine if they adhere to the concept of universal security, Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed.

“We are convinced that a rational way out of the Ukrainian crisis and the path to lasting peace and universal security in the world will be found if everyone is guided by the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security and continued dialogue and consultation in an equitable, prudent and pragmatic manner,” the Chinese President said in an interview with Russia’s Rossiyskaya Gazeta daily.

“China has all along upheld an objective and impartial position based on the merits of the issue, and actively promoted peace talks,” Xi stated.

“Not long ago, we released China’s Position on the Political Settlement of the Ukraine Crisis, which takes into account the legitimate concerns of all parties and reflects the broadest common understanding of the international community on the crisis,” Xi Jinping continued.

“It has been constructive in mitigating the spillovers of the crisis and facilitating its political settlement. There is no simple solution to a complex issue,” he said.

The Chinese president begun a visit to Russia on Sunday at the invitation of President Vladimir Putin, and according to Russian Presidential Assistant Yuri Ushakov, the two presidents will discuss cooperation in the field of energy and military-technical cooperation between the two countries, in addition to the crisis in Ukraine.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

Syria has expressed solidarity with Peru and Ecuador in facing the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck the two countries, and expressed its condolences to the families of the victims.

“Syria expresses its condolences to the families of the earthquake victims in Peru and Ecuador, and its solidarity with their two friendly governments and peoples in confronting this calamity,” Foreign and Expatriates Ministry tweeted.

The Ministry added “Syria, which was subjected to a devastating earthquake last month, affirms that these natural disasters make concerted global humanitarian efforts more important than ever.”

Last Saturday, a 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador and Peru, killing at least 14 people and damaging dozens of buildings.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service has announced that the US continues to use terrorist groups in Syria to undermine positions of the Syrian government.

“The Central Command of the US forces is planning to form battalions of terrorists to carry out hostile acts against the legitimate Syrian government” Director of the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service, Sergey Naryshkin was quoted by RT website as saying in a statement.

“It intends to supply terrorist organizations with dozens of 4WD vehicles equipped with high-caliber artillery, in addition to air defense systems,” Naryshkin added.

Naryshkin noted that the coordination of this subversive act is being managed from a US military base in al-Tanf area in Homs province.

“Representatives of the US Armed Forces Central Command, along with members from intelligence services, are involved in the planning of major operations against government forces and state structures in Syria,” the intelligence service revealed.

Naryshkin added that Daesh terrorist were also tasked with fomenting hostilities in different areas in Syria and to form several groups of extremists who had received special training to participate in terrorist attacks.

He stressed that the close cooperation between the US and terrorists puts them on the same footing, adding that such activities are a manifestation of state terrorism.

Source: Syria Arab News Agency