SOCHI, October 24. /TASS/. Syria has submitted an application on the formation of a free trade zone with Russia, Alexey Likhachyov, a Russian deputy economic development minister, said on Friday.
“The application has been submitted,” Likhachyov said but did not say when the application was exactly submitted saying only that it was earlier this month.
He said talks about the formation of the free trade zone between Syria and Russia were held earlier as well, but they stalled after the war erupted in Syria over three years ago and now “we have to revive everything.”
According to Likhachyov, the Eurasian Economic Commission’s (EEC) session, tentatively planned for December 23, will focus among other issues “on non-preferential agreements, where we do not make rates concessions, but actively exchange information and setting up ‘green corridors.”
“In this regard the EEC will certainly come up with a proposal on Syria and the president will make a certain decision,” Likhachyov said. “We speak for beginning of the talks on preferential terms.”
Fighting between Syrian government troops and militants has left over 100,000 people dead and displaced millions since its start in March of 2011, according to UN statistics.
The June 3 presidential election in Syria saw incumbent President Bashar Assad, 49, win a third term in the office after he garnered 88.7% of the vote with the voter turnout standing at 73.42%
For the first time ever the head of state was elected on a contested basis, and not through a referendum in support of the existing authorities, contrary to what was the case before.