Foreign Ministry Refutes Alleged Meeting between President al-Assad and Davutoglu
http://www.sana.sy/eng/337/2011/10/06/373877.htm
Oct 06, 2011
DAMASCUS, (SANA) - An official source at the Ministry of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs denied what has been said by some mass media on information about a meeting they claimed that it has been recently held between President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish Foreign Minister, Ahmed Davutoglu, stressing that what has been published about this alleged meeting is untrue.
In a statement to SANA, the source indicated that the last meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister was held last August and no messages were conveyed from or to anyone during the meeting.
The source added that the fabrication and misleading by some media bodies, which reflect the hugeness and fierceness of the aggressive campaign launched against Syria, will not succeed in affecting the rightness and wisdom of the Syrian stances.
سفير تركيا بلبنان: سوريا تقوم بـ"بروباغندا" ضدنا..!
Turkish Ambassador to Lebanon: Syria is the "propaganda" against us ..!
http://www.aksalser.com/index.php?page=view_news&id=9807fea7337eb3fc51dec0e591123ebc&ar=304213979
Thursday - October 6 - 2011 - 9:43:47
Syria lifts ban on imports but troubles continue for Turkish firms
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-258991-syria-lifts-ban-on-imports-but-troubles-continue-for-turkish-firms.html
05 October 2011, Wednesday / NOAH BLASER , İSTANBUL
Syrian officials on Tuesday announced the lifting of a two-week import ban, reversing a decision that barred imports from Turkey and other trading partners who had become critical of Syria's regime.
The ban, which was originally designed to conserve the country's foreign currency reserves in the face of internal turmoil, was abandoned by the regime of Bashar al-Assad after spiking and evoking ire from Syria's merchant class. The lifting of the ban is likely to be only a brief respite for businesses both in Turkey and Syria, who have suffered from Syria's political instability and now face the likelihood of Turkish and European sanctions against the Syrian regime.
"In the past years, we enjoyed serious increases in bilateral trade and tourism," said Cahit Erbalcı, chairman of the Federation of Gaziantep Industrialists and Businessmen (GـNSAİF), told Today's Zaman on Wednesday. Now, says Erbalcı, trade has "greatly suffered" in the wake of worsening violence and instability in Syria.
Turkish-Syrian trade rose dramatically from a modest $820 million in 2005 to roughly $2.5 billion in 2010, but this year Turkish exports to Syria have failed to top $1.2 billion. Erbalcı says a broad range of industries have been impacted by Assad's crackdown against dissenters, commenting that instability has greatly complicated cross-border logistics. "We have not seen any Syrian companies unable to pay their bills; however, it is hard to do business in Syria because most often companies can only contact each other on the Internet," the chairman stated.
Erbalcı says that communications difficulties have been just one problem for the regional tourism trade, which often shuttles visitors between Turkish and Syrian border cities. Ever since al-Assad began his campaign to violently quell opposition, Erbalcı says, "cross-border tourism has been affected more than any other industry. It has almost reached zero."
Now, faced with the likelihood of comprehensive sanctions imposed by both Turkey and European nations, Erbalcı says the worst fear of regional businessmen is that the border between Syria and Turkey might be closed. "The land transport from Syria connects Turkey to the whole of the Middle East," Erbalcı stated. If the border is closed to trade, the chairman believes it could seriously disrupt Turkey's burgeoning eastern trade. Fortunately, Balcı added, "the closure of the border is unlikely."
Cross-border trade is nonetheless likely to continue to suffer in the coming months, with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announcing on Tuesday his intentions to go ahead with unilateral sanctions against Assad's regime. Erdoğan's announcement followed the veto of a UN plan to impose sanctions in the Security Council earlier in the day, and the prime minister, stating that "it is not possible for us to remain silent on this issue," told reporters at a press conference in South Africa that Turkey and other countries would impose sanctions despite the veto. Sanctions are likely to cause further damage to an already reeling Syrian economy, which is currently suffering from an EU and American embargo on the Syrian oil industry.
As political tensions between Turkey and its southern neighbor increase, Balcı believes that the economic situation will likely continue on its current downward course. "It will take some time before we maintain the figures reached prior to the latest political crisis," he stated.
Turkey starts drills near Syria border
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/203121.html
Thu Oct 6, 2011 4:52PM
The Turkish military has launched planned military exercises in the southern province of Hatay, near the border with Syria, as tensions remain high between Ankara and Damascus.
The eight-day drills began on Wednesday and will test the army's mobilization system and the communication between public institutions and the armed forces in case of any mobilization or war.
Forty military vehicles and 730 stand-by personnel will participate in the exercise, codenamed Yildirim (Lightning)-2011.
The Turkish military has described the drills as routine but analysts believe the move is intended to increase pressure on neighboring Syria.
Relations between Syria and Turkey saw unprecedented strains since unrest erupted in the Arab nation in mid-March.
Meanwhile, Turkey has halted its arms deals with Syria.
Turkey is also preparing sanctions against the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad over what it calls the crackdown on anti-government protesters.
Syria insists that the unrest has been largely orchestrated by elements that are well-paid and armed by foreign powers and some neighboring states, including Turkey, as well as the Israeli regime.
Syria state TV has also broadcast reports and images of arms caches seized from armed gangs and confessions by terrorists that elaborated on how they obtained weapons from foreign sources.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch Hazim: We hope crisis in Syria is coming to an end (Syrian ambassador in Lebanon visited the Patriarchate)
http://www.sana.sy/eng/22/2011/10/06/373975.htm
http://www.sana.sy/ara/3/2011/10/06/373974.htm
Oct 06, 2011
Beirut, (SANA)- Patriarch of Antioch and All the East Ignatius IV Hazim said "we are not willing for any division between Syria and Lebanon, adding "we don't believe that Lebanon stands alone or Syria to be alone."
"We hope the crisis in Syria is coming to an end… President Bashar al-Assad is working day and night to end the crisis," Patriarch Hazim said during a meeting with the Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul-Kareem.
Abdul-Kareem, for his part, said that he discussed with the Patriarch issues that concern the Arab nation, expressing happiness over the optimistic vision of Mr. Hazim.
On Syrian military vehicles' penetration of the Lebanese lands, the Syrian Ambassador underlined that both countries respect sovereignty of each other, adding "no need for exaggerating events by some sides."
No fear for Christians in Lebanon, Syria: Hazim (Hizballah visited Greek Orthodox Patriarchate)
October 06, 2011 12:50 AM
By Antoine Amrieh
The Daily Star
IVKOURA, Lebanon: Greek Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius IV Hazim said Wednesday that there is no fear for Christians living in Lebanon and Syria but only of forces "working to destroy us."
Following a meeting with a Hezbollah delegation at the patriarchate in Balamand, Hazim said "I refuse that there be fear for Christians.
We are present in Lebanon and Syria, and we have no fear for Christians; we only fear when there are forces working on destroying us."
Hazim added that Christians will remain in Syria and will coexist with everyone as they are no strangers to the region.
Ghaleb Abu Zeinab, a member of Hezbollah's political bureau, described the meeting as a good opportunity to discuss national issues.
Saudi cleric asks Shiite protesters to avoid arms (in al-Awamiyyah, al-Qatif)
http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Middle-East/2011/Oct-06/150555-saudi-cleric-asks-shiite-protesters-to-avoid-arms.ashx
October 06, 2011 12:48 AM
RIYADH: A Saudi Shiite village where protesters clashed with police was calm Wednesday as a prominent cleric urged his followers to avoid the use of firearms and fingers of blame were pointed at Iran.
"Iran is trying to export its problems to avenge what happened in Bahrain, and reduce pressures on Syria," Tehran's Arab ally, said Anwar Eshki, director of the Saudi-based Middle East Institute for Strategic Studies.
Abdulaziz Sager, chairman of the Dubai-based Gulf Research Center, referred to "concrete evidence of Iran's involvement" in this week's unrest, including "telephone calls from Tehran that were intercepted" by Saudi Arabia.
This is "a message from Iran to Gulf states after its failure in Syria and its loss of a strategic ally. It will respond … and we will begin to see escalation in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province," he said.
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