SYRIA CANCELS PORT MANAGEMENT CONTRACT WITH RUSSIA FIRM

Sat 25 January 2025:

The new Syrian administration has cancelled a contract with a Russian firm to manage and operate the port of Tartous, signed under former President Bashar Al-Assad, three Syrian businessmen and media reports assert.

Syrian government spokespeople, however, did not confirm the reports.

Syrian newspaper Al-Watan quoted the head of Tartous customs, Riad Joudy, indicating on Thursday that the investment contract had been cancelled after Russian firm STG Stroytransgaz failed to fulfil the terms of the 2019 deal, which included investments in infrastructure.

This report was confirmed by three Syrian businessmen, one of whom works in the port of Tartous.

STG Stroytransgaz is a major construction company whose mandate was to invest in and develop the commercial port in Tartous, the second largest port in Syria after the port of Latakia.

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The contract is separate from Russia’s naval base in Tartous, which the Soviet Union built in the 1970s as part of a decades-old military agreement between Moscow and Damascus on the use of the Mediterranean port.

Russia and Syria’s new ruling administration confirmed they are holding talks on the future of Russia’s military presence in Syria after Syrian rebels ousted Russia’s ally Al-Assad on 8 December, 2024.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Moscow was open to constructive dialogue with the new Syrian authorities, particularly on the operation of its military bases in Syria and their temporary role as humanitarian distribution centres.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told a news conference that his country is open to constructive dialogue on all aspects of Russian-Syrian relations, expanding on the strong foundation of bilateral cooperation built up over many years.

Lavrov noted that this includes the operation of his country’s military bases, which could temporarily be used as humanitarian aid distribution centres, given the urgent need of the Syrian Arab Republic’s population for foreign aid.

In late December, Lavrov said that Moscow had not received any requests from Damascus to review agreements regarding Russian bases in Syria, adding that they were there in accordance with treaties signed per international law.

The Russian foreign minister also indicated that the conditions of operation for these bases could become the subject of future discussions with the new Syrian administration.

Commander-in-Chief of the new Syrian administration Ahmed Al-Sharaa stressed that Damascus has strategic interests with Russia, stressing that the new administration is looking after the interests of the Syrian people and does not seek to stir up issues or conflicts with foreign countries.

-MEMO

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