Al-Shaibani, Barak discuss strengthening Syrian-American relations in Istanbul
Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani on Sunday (June 14th) discussed with US envoy to Syria Thomas Barak ways to strengthen bilateral relations and regional and international developments.
This came during a meeting in the Turkish city of Istanbul, according to a statement published by the Syrian Foreign Ministry on its account on the "X" platform, in which it said that Al-Shaibani and Barak discussed "bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to strengthen them," in addition to "the latest developments in the international arena and efforts aimed at achieving stability in the region."
The Syrian Foreign Ministry did not clarify the date of Al-Shaibani's arrival in Istanbul or the duration of his visit, noting that Minister Al-Shaibani chaired the Syrian side at the Syrian-Jordanian ministerial meeting in Damascus on Sunday afternoon, and at the end of its work, a joint statement was issued confirming that the two sides discussed ways to enhance and deepen bilateral cooperation sectorally in the fields of economic integration, transport, customs, water, joint strategic projects, institutional development, investment, health and energy.
Upcoming summit between Presidents Al-Sharia and Trump
The meeting came at a time when relations between Damascus and Washington are witnessing an increasing diplomatic movement, interspersed with contacts and meetings between officials from both sides over the past months, and President Ahmed al-Sharaa is expected to meet his American counterpart tomorrow, Tuesday, on the sidelines of the G7 summit in the French city of Evian, in which President Al-Sharaa is participating as a guest of honor.
France sent an invitation card to President Sharia to attend the summit activities received by Finance Minister Yousser Bernier during his participation in the closed-door talks and preliminary financial meetings of finance ministers and central bank governors of the Group of Seven (G7) held in Paris on May 18.
Nine non-member countries are participating as guests at the summit along with Syria, after the French presidency issued official invitations to these countries to participate in the working sessions dedicated to development, artificial intelligence and global supply chains.
The list of invited countries extends to countries from the Middle East and the Arabian Gulf such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, in addition to emerging economic powers and prominent international partners such as India, Brazil, South Korea and Kenya, as well as Ukraine, which is attending in the context of international attention to the ongoing war on its territory.
Activating the work of the Syrian-American Business Council
The Syrian-American Business Council in Washington has opened new channels of communication with U.S. companies and institutions working in the energy, finance, and infrastructure sectors, on the sidelines of the visit of the Syrian Ministry of Energy delegation to the United States.
The Syrian Ministry of Economy and Industry said in a statement published on Sunday that the council organized professional and commercial meetings that brought together the Syrian delegation with a number of American companies and institutions, in a step aimed at strengthening Syria's economic presence and expanding opportunities for cooperation and investment with international partners.
The meetings included prominent companies and institutions, including Chevron, Halliburton, KBR and GE, as well as the US Development Finance Corporation (DFC), where opportunities for cooperation in the fields of oil, gas and electricity, as well as mechanisms for financing and supporting infrastructure projects and the energy sector in Syria were discussed.
This comes about a year after the launch of the Syrian-American Business Council in Washington as an independent, nonprofit body aimed at promoting trade and investment between Syria and the United States, and facilitating communication between businesses in the two countries.
Since its establishment, the Syrian-American Business Council has announced that it will support reconstruction projects, organize trade missions and investment forums, and contribute to rebuilding economic and financial relations between Syria and the United States.