Emir of Qatar to visit Syria soon, Doha pledges major participation in construction and development phase

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani announced that Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will visit Syria soon.

During a press conference in Damascus today, Thursday, with the leader of the new administration in Syria, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his happiness at the resumption of Qatari-Syrian relations after a 13-year hiatus, and said that Qatar welcomes the positive steps taken by the new Syrian administration.

He confirmed that the Emir of Qatar will visit Damascus soon, and said that Syria is on the cusp of a new phase in its history, and Qatar extends its hand to the Syrians for partnership.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani pledged that Qatar would provide the necessary technical support to re-operate the infrastructure in Syria, adding, "We are in a new phase in Syria, which is a phase of construction and development. We will witness a lot of momentum in Qatari-Syrian projects."

He stressed that the situation in Syria requires the need to consider lifting sanctions on the country as soon as possible, and pledged to work on cooperating with the new administration in Syria on various issues, including lifting sanctions.

On the other hand, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his condemnation of Israel's seizure of the buffer zone in the Golan Heights, and demanded its immediate withdrawal from the area.

In turn, Ahmed Al-Sharaa confirmed that Qatar is one of the countries that contributed to helping the Syrian people during their ordeal, and he said that his talks with the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs covered all areas.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani arrived in Damascus earlier today, Thursday, on a visit that "confirms the State of Qatar's firm position in supporting our brothers in Syria," according to the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Before this visit, Damascus received the Minister of State at the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Khulaifi, on December 23, and Doha reopened its embassy in Damascus on the 21st of last month and raised the Qatari flag over it, after it was closed in July 2011.

Earlier this month, Doha hosted Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Sheibani.

In support of the Syrian people, Doha has continued to send urgent relief aid to Damascus since the fall of the regime of ousted President Bashar al-Assad.

Source: Al Jazeera