DEVELOPMENT & REFORM

“It is applied in a number of countries, Germany among them. This economy is supposed to prevent monopolies and profiteering so that the poor, or those of limited income, are not excluded from the social and economic framework. The role of the state is exercised in the social sphere, and there are special funds to protect the financially-disadvantaged. Various funds have been established to benefit the various levels of society. We are now at the beginning of this experiment and in a transitional phase. We have been confronted by the [economic] siege and regional events that are not favorable to investment, in addition to other difficulties such as the increase in international prices which have harmed poor countries in general, and we have been affected by it. “

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

“It’s a challenge confronting the state. We can’t say the citizens have not benefited and that the advantages of this policy have not been generalized. The big challenge lies in finding how to enable the largest part of the population to benefit. This depends on the development of the mechanisms of governance and the struggle against corruption.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

“We have taken wide-scale measures to combat corruption and we have had great successes in this respect. But the true reform will be achieved when we improve administrative practices, and at that moment corruption will diminish. It is a permanent war against corruption in favor of the law, order and the public interest. “ “The private sector has taken great steps forward, but there has been no fallback in the public sector, which has a fundamental role in political and economic terms. It must continue in order to safeguard political and economic stability in Syria. That is why the matter of privatization will not be broached in Syria. And if we place the political aspect to one side, we can say that it is not suitable from the economic point of view. We envisage a development of the public sector while at the same time supporting the private sector. Practical measures have been taken recently to develop the public sector.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

 “Yes, we have undoubtedly had achievements, and the figures confirm this. The obstacles are no longer the same as in the past. But we are confronting other obstacles that we must eliminate them in various areas in relation to administrative measures. Most of the investments come from Arab sources and they won’t come without an atmosphere of peace in the Middle East. Our preparations and predictions must be in this framework.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

“When you speak of a process of development, it is not permitted to be satisfied with what has been achieved. Satisfaction causes you to stop midway on the path while everything around you is changing. There are now private media in Syria, and the public media have begun to evolve. There is movement forward which can be slow or rapid. But it is certain that we are progressing in this respect.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

 “We keep moving forward, but with very clear, precise steps. There probably won't be any swift moves. Our goal is stability," hence "Impulsive and badly thought out moves would lead to consequences that are hard to be resolved in the future."  

From His Excellency Statements in France  (July12-14, 2008)

 "The Syrian national strategy has targeted key areas to support opportunity and inclusive growth," adding that the priority of his government was to create a "fertile investment environment.", "Economically, improvements in the taxation and exchange rate system have helped strengthen the economy's fiscal and monetary base," " measures were afoot to set up the country's first stock market and steps like elimination of restrictions on imports, lower tariffs for local manufacturing and increased access to foreign exchange have gradually begun to liberalise trade."

From His Excellency Statements in India (June 18^th, 2008)

“However, all this positive change has not been easy. Our commitment to reform and economic liberalisation continues to be tested by the challenges facing our region and its dynamic environment.”

From His Excellency Statements in India (June 18^th, 2008)

“When I said we're going to have reform in Syria when I became president, this means every aspect of reform. You may say the main axes are the political, economic and social – upgrading society in general. Usually you move faster in the most urgent axis and where you can achieve more, where it is faster to move forward. The most urgent in Syria is the economic, because we have poverty; the second one is the political. When you talk about the opposition in the process of political reform,  that depends on the laws. What laws are you going to have, and what circumstances you are living in today in order to have the good result that you are expecting from a good law, not like what happened in Algeria in 1988, when they had good laws, but they did not have good circumstances. So, they have been paying the price till today. Not like what happened in Lebanon. They have full democracy, but they have been moving from one civil war to another, from one conflict to another for more that 200 years. This is not our goal.”

From His Excellency Indian Daily, the Hindu Interview (June 12^th, 2008)

“What happened during the last seven years: I became president in August 2000, two months later the Intifada started, the conflict in Palestine started and has not stopped. It is getting worse everyday. The problem in Lebanon started in 2004. You have 9/11 after one year and we have the war in Iraq, which is the worst, in 2003. All these circumstances affected Syria directly. Usually in such circumstances you have tension, you have more closed minded people, you have more extremism. For example, we started seeing those terrorist attacks in Syria in 2004. We hadn't seen them since the early 1980s in Syria, especially al-Qaeda, who have the same roots as the Muslim Brothers who were in Syria in the 1980s. So, the whole society is affected. This means the whole political process is going to be affected. We used to think that many things would be implemented in 2005. We couldn't so far. And we have all this American pressure. This doesn't mean that we stop. Now we had the first private satellite TV station last year, the first political magazine three years ago, and now we have many private magazines in different fields. We have more freedom in Syria than before. We are moving slowly and cautiously. We have to be very frank and very clear about this. We don't move fast, and we cannot move fast.”

From His Excellency Indian Daily, the Hindu Interview (June 12^th, 2008)

"Syria is trying to overcome the challenges in the investment sector which was neglected for more than 50 years.” “It started to improve the financial, economic and administrative regulations to encourage investments,", “I did not seek to persuade them of the promising investments in Syria as they are aware of the ins and outs of the investment atmosphere there.” “I, rather sought to get acquainted with their proposals and suggestions on ways to improve the administrative aspect of investment and remove the red tape obstacles,", "The Syrian government can not replace private investors, so it has to listen to the suggestions and demands of investors in order to promote joint enterprises between Syrian and Gulf private sector investors.” The Gulf, especially the Kuwaiti, investments in Syria are growing steady,”

From His Excellency Statements during His Kuwait Visit (June 4^th, 2008)

 "If anyone had a secret dossier on nuclear facilities in Syria with a Korean role, as they claim, then why did they wait for seven months before destroying a normal military facility by the Israeli raid? Why did they not resort to the UN nuclear energy organization to carry out an inspection?",  "Acquiring nuclear energy for peaceful purposes is an international trend that all countries are rightfully pursuing. In Syria, we want this to be done within an Arab context, which was discussed and agreed during the Arab Summit in Riyadh."

From His Excellency Statements during His UAE Visit (June 3^rd, 2008)

“ This issue needs an approach and never takes place through rushing up and enthusiasm; the issue of corruption is not to chasing people and shot fire against them, etc.. It is a complex deep rooted operation which needs rational tackling starting with the reform of Administration System in Syria and of course from selecting the persons for the highest levels. We in Syria have achieved success at the higher level. There was more corruption at the higher level; now at the level of the higher leadership it is less. The most difficult corruption related to the low levels, it is small, repeated, and plenty.”,  “ Fighting corruption without institutional reform is useless. … I encouraged Syrian mass media to uncover and expose corruption. When media talks about corruption, the citizen would see things unseen before.”

 From His Excellency Interview given to the Qatari ‘Al-Wtan’ Daily  (April 27^th 2008)

  “ Our ambitions are big. Undoubtedly, there are negligence; but, undoubtedly, there are accomplishments. The real evaluation is ever for the citizen, because he/she lives the problem, and on whom the problem is reflected. I can not evaluate this issue as the Syrian citizen can. My job is to present the real picture to the citizens so as to sort these different aspects.”

 From His Excellency Interview given to the Qatari ‘Al-Wtan’ Daily  (April 27^th 2008)

“We have to pursue the process of domestic reforms which meet our national and growth needs, and complies with our cultural facts. We should never take it easy as not to reject any form of interference in our affairs under whatever titles, and regardless of whatever means implemented. The Experience of the past and today point to how much the price was heavy as to impose change from the outside , and how much the price was heavy to impose political or economic pre-fabricated formulas upon the developing countries.”

 From His Excellency Opening  Speech of  20th Arab Summit  (March29th 2008)

“Syria has been integrated with the course of World Economy following her  preparation of the political, economic, and social ground for a new phase of Development and growth.” “We have taken big strides for a comprehensive reform of the legislations, renewal of infrastructure, as to bolster the ongoing economic opening and investment climate in line with the Economy of Social Market Strategy. The Syrian Private Sector involvement in the development process has led to an important influence in all the so far accomplished results; where the growth rate per year is higher  increasingly, investments and trade exchanges redoubled, and where the Industrial Zones were constructed.”

 From H.E. Statements during the Visit of the Kazakh President  ( November 6 2007)

" Firstly, We have our priorities which are based on the most dire needs of the Syrian citizen. Secondly, it- the process of Reform and Modernization- depends on the possibility of achieving progress in a track before another track. The first priority was the economic one as to improve the citizens living standards; the second priority is the political one related to elections laws, especially local administration and parliamentarian elections and to political parties….We have initiated this process; with my election to the presidency, the Intifada started in the occupied Palestine, pressures on Syria, because of its support to the Intifada, started. The 11^th of September took place with that Arabs have had to pay as the price; the Arab weakness has started in reality after this stage and not lately; and the invasion of Iraq took place. From here direct pressures with an excessive amount against Syria came. The consequences of the occupation resulted with an increase of extremism and the start of terrorist acts, which disappeared from Syria for decades and began to take place after the invasion of Iraq. Thus, the priority for us has become also to preserve the stability in Syria, as the first priority, where the economic priority has become the second, and the political one the third…. How can we build a good economy without stability? We, however, have made economic strides: the growth rate was in 2000 less than 1 percent and became 6,1 last year notwithstanding though of the political circumstances."

“The preservation of security and tranquillity, the safeguarding of stable life are the pillars national sovereignty, dignity, prosperity, and development,” underlined President Al-Assad 

From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

 “The Process of development can never ignore the reality, in which we live , nor turn blind eyes to the surrounding realities, especially those pertaining to the course of our development through history, the cultural, social, conditions and concepts prevailing in our society; which, in turn, form the ground upon which every development is to be based. The changing of such a ground is linked to the extent of our desire and ability to decide the useful and the  not useful of development factors. We have to reinforce the positive factors, which moves forward the process of growth, and at the same time, safeguard and preserve the stability of our society and its internal security.”

From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

 “ We have constructed scores of industrial  and free trade zones, attained concrete progress in the field of the infrastructure, popular and youth housing, initiated big projects in the fields of power, irrigation, land reclamation . on top of our priorities is to supply the agriculture sector with growth demands, sparing it of negative consequences in light of the pivotal  importance of the agriculture sector for the Syrian economy , national security and food self-sufficiency.”

From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

 “ We have made several steps as to develop the political structure through the development of our democratic experience towards a larger political participations, enabling all the national potentials to contribute to the national building; where the National Progressive Front (NPF)- grouping all of the 10 Syrian  active  national political parties- Charter has been developed, the (NPF) work activated , opening the door wide before the (NPF) parties, to play their role in leading the country: the parties have issued their special newspapers, opened branches in the governorates, new parties joined the (NPF). The decisions taken by the Baa’th Arab Socialist Party (BASP) 10^th regional conference have been the point of reference towards the activation of mass and government performance, and in particular with regard to the  (NPF) 10^th regional conference recommendations for  the expanding of political participation.”

From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

“ The priority is for the economic issue in the light of the Syrian citizens need. And what the economy would value if the stability  were to be missing. Syria during the past years have witnessed some terrorist attacks, foreign interference bids, and pressures; which, all in all, made of stability as the top priority; hence no economy would exist without stability. What political reform value would be without the stability , economy, providing the basic needs for the citizen and his children of health , food, and the like, and security as well,”

From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

"I didn’t invent reform. Reform starts from the challenges that you have. Our reform starts from the challenges, problems, obstacles and complaints before us. If you sit with any Syrian, you’ll mainly hear about the question of better living standards and more jobs. Syria is about 18 million people and 60 percent of them are under 25 years old. 300,000 babies are born every year and 200,000 need jobs every year. The most dangerous challenge for our country is to offer jobs for those young people. Second, the political reform is linked to economic and cultural reforms and to upgrading the whole society. But you need to have priorities. I do not mean by priorities a sequence, where I do the economic reform first then the political and so on, but rather to move in parallel terms. "

From HE’s Interview with PBS TV, (March 30, 2006)

"We should focus on the economic field first because it can’t wait; people are hungry because there is poverty and people want to make sure that their children go to good schools and that they have a good medical system. People can wait for other fields. In spite of that we are moving in all the fields together. People can wait for other fields. In spite of that we are moving in all the fields together. But what has changed in the last five years? In the first place our priority was economy then politics, but now after 9/11 events and the way they dealt with terrorism our priorities have changed." "First, our priority now is security because in the last two years we started to have more terrorism after we hadn’t seen it for two decades. Second comes the economy and then other fields. Now everybody is worried about their security. This change in priorities is not good for us, and it isn’t something we want but rather something we cannot ignore. This change of priorities won’t stop reform. More important than this is the state of mind. When you talk about democracy for example it is a state of mind to accept the other. When you have terrorism this is based on extremism. When you have extremism and terrorism you won’t have democracy because extremists and terrorists do not accept the other. That is why I said earlier that democracy is about how to accept the other opinion. That is how we were affected by the war on Iraq and the war on Afghanistan. "

"This is because they see reform as one word and as one world. There are hundreds and thousands of reforms according to each country. If they understand us and our circumstances and history, they will understand what reform I’m talking about. But when they see me going with reform in a different direction due to my own circumstances and facts, they will think he is talking about reform but going in a different direction. I have my own reform which is different from your reform, and if you are democratic you should accept my reform. That is why they say I am enigmatic, but we invite them to come and see that we are very clear; and I think we are the clearest among the countries of our region."

"Despite the difficult situation we are going through, we continue to implement our development plans in order to improve the living conditions of our citizens, and in the process of political, economic and administrative reform. We are also going ahead in our anti-corruption campaign and in widening the circle of accountability to involve all those who harm the interests of the people and the country. These pressing regional and international conditions, the challenges associated with them, and also the sorry Arab condition which does not call for optimism, pushes us towards more self-reliance, towards depending on our capabilities in the first place, to invest in our capabilities in a better manner, and to benefit from all patriotic and faithful efforts in the process of reform and modernization. The regional conference of the Baath Arab Socialist Party passed a number of ambitious resolutions which express the concerns and aspirations of our people. We are determined to put them into implementation according to set priorities which take into account the conditions and available resources. The relevant resolutions will be passed in the coming period."

"We have to focus on pivotal sections in our society, and young people come at the forefront of these sections. This needs a comprehensive strategy which includes objectives that we want to achieve and clear executive programmes in relation to this vitals sector."

"The world is moving very fast. And there are challenges produced by these changes. There have been new opportunities for achievement. Since at the heart of these changes lie information, communications and the digital revolution, we have all to work in order to integrate young people into this information age and to provide the integration mechanisms in all our institutions starting from the school, whether material mechanisms like laboratories, the internet, or activating the institutional, educational, cultural and media structures, in a manner that allows for embracing their creative energies and guarantee confidence in their capabilities on which we pin great hopes, because they are the real guarantee for the greatness and progress of our country. "

"Because when you say reforming, it's not only political reforming. It's the reforming in general, what you mean political, economical, technical, and all the other aspects of reform. So we don't control all these aspects. That's why we have a lot of obstacles to go forward. When you talk about the speed in this plan, regarding this plan, it's a matter what car do you have. You cannot go to fast or very fast in a old car. So you need this new car. What pillars do you have? You should put pillars when you have reform. These pillars constitute the base when you have this building upon this base. If it's not strong enough, it will fall. So these pillars related to our history and to these factors that I mentioned."

"And we're not perfect. Nobody's perfect. We are going steadily and consistently. Maybe not too fast, but we are consistent, we are committed. And not only the government, the majority of the people support this process. But we still have a long way to go. That doesn't mean we didn't do. We did a lot. We recently started studying modern law for multi-parties in Syria. We have multi-parties, but we're looking for more open law. We had private universities during the last two years. We had private media, private schools, private banking. We had many things we did during the last five years. For me, I don't think it's slow. It's fast. But we always want to be faster, and this is normal, and this is right, and want to achieve more. This is normal ambition.

" The pace of our development depends upon the challenges that we must face, which we cannot always influence. For example, we have to deal with foreign powers meddling in our internal affairs."

"Once again, we cannot apply Western standards to development in the Orient. In Germany, you may have a religious Christian party, the CDU (Christian Democratic Union), but it has effectively assimilated itself into the fabric of the country. In return, your history prevents you from having any large nationalist parties. Our experience has shown us that the situation in Syria became stable because the entire society is secular. We must preserve that. "

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