With participation of Syria, activities of the Development Road Conference kicked off in Baghdad, with participation of Transport Ministers of Syria, Iraq’s neighboring and Gulf Cooperation Council States.
The Conference aims at enhancing cooperation and economic interdependence between Iraq and its brotherly and friendly states, in a way that constitutes a pillar for peace, stability and prosperity of the peoples of the region.
Minister of Transport, Transport Minister Zouhair Khzeim said in his speech in the conference that Syria pays all attention to building bridges of cooperation and communication with Arab brothers and friends, and our presence in the consultative meeting of Development Road Project is a chance to prove our supporting to the initiative.
The minister noted that the importance of Syria’s geographical site as an international connection node, its view of the Mediterranean Sea and its vital outlets with neighboring countries, underlining the keenness of completing the integration of tripartite railway connection between Syria, Iraq and Iran, and Syria is working on serious steps in the project, to develop and rehabilitate the railways .
Khzeim noted the significance of railways axes for international transportation via Syria (east-west) from the Iraqi ports through al-Qaim, al-Bukamal, Homs and the Syrian ports, at a length of 1,300 km, of which 900 km are within Iraq ,400 km are within Syria.
There is an important project for two highways in Syria, the first is the (East-West) road that connects Iraqi border across Homs with Tartous port with a length of 351 km, while the second is the (North-South) road that connects Turkish border in the north with Jordanian border in the south via Aleppo and Homs, and Damascus at a length of 432 km, as he pointed out.
Khzeim presented a suggestion of crossing the track through Syria and connect Faw port with Syrian ports on the Mediterranean sea, stressing that “ crossing the track via Syria achieves strategic benefits for brotherly Iraq, as well as the Arab Gulf and neighboring countries benefit of it by transporting and shipping their products and goods to European countries , and activates transit traffic locally and regionally, and ensures connceting sea and dry ports.
He affirmed that Syria is ready throughout all technical teams , in order to achieve all forms of cooperation and integration between transport networks.
Iraqi Prime Minister, Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani, in turn , pointed out that the development Road project is an ambitious and studied plan to change situation towards a firm economic structure, adding that it is the pillar of a sustainable non-oil economy and a connection node served Iraq’s neighbors and the region.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency