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Middle East and North Africa
Syria |
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Last reviewed: 23 March 2009 |
Country information
Full Country Name: The Syrian Arab Republic
Area: 185,180 sq kms (71,498 sq miles)
Population: 20 million: 52% male, 48% female
Capital City: Damascus
People: Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians and others 9.7%
Language(s): Arabic (official), Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian, some French and English.
Religion(s): Officially secular; Sunni Muslim 75%, Shi’a Muslim 10%, Druze and Alawi minorities 5%, Christian (various)10%. About 100 Jews remain in Syria.
Currency: Syrian Pound (also called Lira – LSYR).
Major political parties: Ba'ath Party
Head of State: Lt-Gen Dr Bashar al-Assad
Prime Minister/Premier: Engineer Mohammad Naji Al-Otri
Foreign Minister: Mr Walid al-Muallam
Membership of international groups/organisations: Arab League (AL), , Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Intergovernmental Group of 24 (G-24), Group of 77 at the United Nations, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), International Criminal Court (ICC), International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRM), Islamic Development Bank (IDB), International Finance Corporation (IFC), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Monetary Fund (IMF), International Maritime Organisation (IMO), Intelsat, Interpol, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), Organisation of Islamic Conference(OIC), OAPEC, United Nations (UN), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Trade Organisation (WTO).
ECONOMY
Basic Economic Facts
GDP: $36 billion (USD)
GDP per head: $ 1,865
Annual Growth in GDP:
Inflation:
Exchange rate: £1 (GBP) = £68.17 (SYP)
Economic Structure:
The two mainstays of the Syrian Economy are the oil sector and agriculture, which each account for about a quarter of GDP, varying from year to year depending on prices and climatic conditions. However, due to the depletion of Syrian oil reserves, other sectors such as financial services, construction, telecommunications, non-oil industry and trade, are starting to assume increasing importance. Major industrial activity has until recently been in the hands of the Government, and whilst almost all sectors are now nominally open to private sector involvement, the number of large private sector industrial projects remains limited.
Foreign Trade:
Trade has grown in importance in recent years, with the total volume of trade (imports plus exports) growing from 48% of Syrian GDP in 2000 to 60% in 2006. Syria’s exports (worth $10.1 billion in 2006) are dominated by oil - crude oil and minerals account for some 40% of total exports. Other major exported products include food and agricultural products, cotton and textiles. Imports (worth $10.6 billion in 2006) are more diverse and include refined petroleum products, food and agricultural products, machinery, transport equipment, chemicals and base metals.
Major trading partners:
Exports: Italy 19.6%, France 8.8%, Saudi Arabia 8.7%, Iraq 6.4%, UK 4.3%, Jordan 3.9%.
Imports: China 6.5%, Egypt 5.2%, South Korea 4.2%, Italy 3.4%, Turkey 3.2%, Japan 3.0%
Economic Policy:
The economy is a high priority for President Bashar. Since his appointment as President in 2000, he has begun the process of moving Syria away from a centrally-controlled economy towards what is described as a “social market economy”. Banking and insurance have been opened to the private sector, and new legislation has been passed which is intended to encourage greater foreign investment. Further reforms, including the reduction of fuel subsidies, the introduction of a stock market and of Value Added Tax, are planned but have suffered from delays.
HISTORY
Recent History
History since Independence
Syria gained independence from the French in 1946. Arab defeat at the hands of Israel she experienced a series of short-lived military governments, followed, between 1958 and 1961, by an unsuccessful experiment of Union with Nasser's Egypt. In 1963 the Baath, a revolutionary party based on the ideas of Arab nationalism and socialism, seized power. In 1966 a radical wing of the Party seized control, expelling the original founders of the Party who eventually established themselves in Iraq, instituting a rivalry between Damascus and Baghdad which has persisted ever since. The radicals then moved closer to Moscow, adopting leftist policies which isolated Syria from many of her neighbours.
In November 1970 the radicals were ousted by Hafez al-Asad, then Minister of Defence, at the head of a more moderate and pragmatic section of the Baath. He repaired Syria's relations with her neighbours, and in 1972 introduced a Constitution under which elections had to be held both for a National Assembly and for the Presidency. Voted in as President he ruled the country until his death on 10 June 2000.
BBC News Country Timeline: Syria
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Syria's Relations with Neighbours
Syria has good relations with Iran, including on defence ties, and the two signed a memorandum of defence understanding in June 2006. On 21 November 2006 Syria and Iraq signed an agreement to restore diplomatic relations almost 25 years after they cut them. The ongoing violence in Iraq has led to an influx of between 1.2 and 1.5 mn Iraqi refugees into Syria.
In October 1998, Turkey threatened military action against Syria, in frustration at alleged long-term Syrian hospitality for Kurdish PKK ( Kurdistan Workers’ Party)terrorist groups active against Turkey. The dispute was resolved diplomatically, with Syria meeting most of the Turkish demands.
There has been substantial high level bilateral contact between Turkey and Syria in the past year - with both the Syrian President and Foreign Minister in Ankara and the Turkish Foreign Minister in Damascus in the last quarter of 2007,. Turkey has sought to use this contact to encourage Syria back into the international fold and Syria is also keen to ease its isolation. Turkey believes it is important for the West to engage with Syria to weaken its ties to Iran, and currently hosts the indirect peace talks between Syrian and Israeli delegations. No agreements have yet been struck.
Syrian intervention in Lebanon during the 1980s brought an end to the civil war in that country. By September 2004, Syria still had a military force of approximately 15,000 men in Lebanon and commanded a high degree of influence there.
On 14 February 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafiq Hariri, was assassinated in a bomb that killed 19 others and injured over 200. In Lebanon it was widely believed that Syria was involved in this attack and on 14 March 2005 approximately one million demonstrators came out onto the street to demand the departure of Syrian forces. In response to domestic and international pressure, Syria withdrew and a UN verification team reported on 23 May 2005 that all Syrian troops had withdrawn from Lebanon, although it was uncertain whether all intelligence personnel had left.
Syria is widely suspected of involvement in the murder of the Rafiq Hariri. On 7 April 2005, United Nations Security Council resolution 1595 was passed which mandated the establishment of a UN International Independent Investigation Commission, into the attack. UN International Independent Investigation Commission’s interim report of 20 October 2005 indicated that it was unlikely that the murder of Hariri could have been carried out without the knowledge of Syrian intelligence. United Nations Security Council resolution1636 of 31 October 2005 required Syria to cooperate with the UN International Independent Investigation Commission. The UN International Independent Investigation Commission 's report of 12 December 2005 stated that 19 Syria and Lebanese suspects had been identified, though it did not name them.
United Nations Security Council resolution1644 of 15 December 2005 extended the UN International Independent Investigation Commission’s mandate until 15 June 2006 as its investigation had not reached the point where it could be handed over to the Lebanese authorities. United Nations Security Council resolution1644 also requested that the UN Secretary-General make recommendations on whether the UN International Independent Investigation Commission’s mandate be broadened to cover all political attacks since October 2004 (the date of the first attack on a Lebanese politician opposed to Syrian involvement since the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution1559). A further recommendation was also made that the UN Secretary -General’s report on whether there should be international involvement in the trial of those accused of the murder of Hariri. The UN International Independent Investigation Commission investigation continues, and the final report will be passed to an International Special Tribunal for Lebanon to try those involved.
In May 2007 United Nations Security Council resolution 1757 established the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL) under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to try suspects involved in the murder of Hariri and other attackes. The Special Tribunal began its work in the Hague on 1 March 2009.
Syria's Relations with the International Community
Over recent years, Syria has had a complex relationship with much of the international community. Syria’s role in the 18 month political crisis in Lebanon as well as their facilitation of foreign fighters into Iraq has led the UK, USA and France and some EU countries to limit their contacts with the Syrian government. The EU does, however, have diplomatic and economic relations with Syria. The European Council approved the Commission's negotiating mandate in December 1997 and negotiations for an Association Agreement between the EU and Syria started in May 1998. In April 2000, Syria ratified the MEDA framework agreement freeing-up the potential for €100 million development funds. Following lengthy discussions, an EU Association Agreement was initialled between the EU and Syria in Brussels on 19 October 2004, however negotiations are currently suspended Once signed and ratified the Association Agreement will lead to progress towards liberalisation of the Syrian economy in the longer term.
The agreement of the Doha accord in May 2008 (which ended the political crisis in Lebanon) and the resumption of the Israel Syria proximity talks has led a number of countries, most notably France, to re-evaluate their approach to Syria. France re-engaged with Syria by inviting President Assad to attend the Mediterranean Union Summit in Paris in July2008, where Lebanon and Syria agreed to establish diplomatic ties and open embassies for the first time. Following the summit, President Sarkozy visited Damascus in September 2008. Foreign Minister Muallem visited London in October 2008. The Foreign Secretary visited Damascus in November 2008 and had talks with President Assad.
Middle East Peace Process
President Bashar al-Assad claims to be committed to fulfilling his father's legacy by achieving peace with Israel. However, Syria's support for Palestinian rejectionist groups is seen by many to directly contradict this aim, Syria has said that if the Roadmap for Peace is acceptable to the Palestinians then it is acceptable to Syria. President Asad has sought a bigger role for the EU, rather than the United States, in the MEPP. Indirect peace negotiations between Syria and Israel resumed in May 2008, with Turkey acting as an intermediary. The talks halted when Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced he was stepping down.
Syria's Relations with the UK
Britain broke off diplomatic relations with Syria in 1986. The relationship improved after the restoration of diplomatic relations in November 1990. However, Syria's stance on certain issues continues to give us cause for concern, and we have a number of serious differences. The Government remains keen to improve relations with Syria, which has much work to do in making progress on key areas of concern including Iraq, Lebanon, support for terrorists, counter terrorism, human rights and reform.
We remain particularly concerned about the role of Syria in Lebanon and Iraq. Syria supplies Hizbollah with weapons and supports cross-border insurgents entering Iraq. Such support encourages extremism and threatens the stability of the region, and puts peace in the Middle East further out of reach.
GEOGRAPHY
Syria shares a northern border with Turkey, in the east and southeast with Iraq, in the south with Jordan and in the west with Lebanon and Israel. Syria's most contentious boundary is with Israel, where the latter has occupied Syrian territory, the Golan, since 1967. Israel formally annexed the Golan in 1981. Syria also has a short Mediterranean coastline of some 193 km between Lebanon and Turkey
TRADE AND INVESTMENT WITH THE UK
UK/Syria trade:
(millions, sterling)|
|
2003 (Jan-Sept) |
2004 |
2005 | 2006 (Jan-Sept) |
| UK exports: |
82.0 |
88.6 |
104.4 | 83.0 |
| UK imports |
58.0 |
52.0 |
51.9 | 216.3 |
UK exports: Power generating machinery and equipment; general industry machinery and equipment; medicinal and pharmaceutical products; textile fibres and their wastes; and chemical materials and products.
UK imports: Petroleum, petroleum products and related wastes; articles of apparel and clothing accessories; textile fibres and their wastes; manufactures of metal; and general industrial machinery and equipment.
Cultural Relations with the UK
Recent Visits
Inward
Deputy Prime Minister Dardari visited the UK in November 2007, where he met the Foreign Secretary and Dr Kim Howells. Former Foreign Minister Farouk Shara'a has visited the UK on a number of occasions, most recently in October 2004 when he called on then Foreign Secretary Jack Straw and then FCO Minister Baroness Symons. President Bashar al-Assad visited the UK as a guest of government in December 2002. He called on the Prime Minister and the Queen.
Outward
In May 2007 the All-Party Parliamentary group on Syria visited the country. Then FCO Minister Baroness Symons visited Syria three times, twice in 2003 and again in June 2004. Also in June 2004, an All-Party Group of British Members of Parliament visited Syria. The Lord Mayor of London visited Syria in July 2003. He travelled with delegations from the Bank of England and the UK's private banking sector. During the visit he had a private audience with President Bashar al-Asad. The visit reinforced the need for economic and banking reforming in Syria and promoted the UK financial services industry and the City of London as useful partners to this end. The then Prime Minister, Tony Blair, visited Syria in October 2001.
UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Syria
POLITICS
Recent Political Developments
Dr Bashar al-Assad was groomed for the Presidency since 1994 following the death of his elder brother Basil, when he was recalled from London where he had been studying ophthalmology to begin military training. Bashar al-Assad was formally inaugurated as President on 17 July 2000 following a referendum which confirmed him as President elect with over 97% support. Since his succession, Bashar has reiterated his desire for Syrian modernisation. He has stated that he is committed to fulfilling his father's legacy by achieving peace with Israel, but since the start of the second Intifada in October 2000 prospects for achieving this have dwindled and tensions have increased with Israel. He has implemented some tentative steps towards economic and social reform, but progress is slow. There were some early indications of political reform: political discussion groups, for example, were allowed to meet. But there has since been a stifling of this progress, for example freedom of expression and association is limited. The human rights situation has further deteriorated over the last year (see below).
On 27 May 2007, after a month long referendum campaign, President Assad was re-elected for his second seven-year term. According to official statistics 95.86% of the electorate voted, 97.62% voted "yes", 1.71 voted "no" and there were .67 % spoiled ballots.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Although there was an initial improvement under President Bashar al-Assad, the human rights situation has deteriorated significantly over the past year and we have a number of concerns about Syria’s human rights performance.. Local human rights groups have no legal existence in Syria. A few are tolerated, but they operate in a grey zone. However, over the past few months there has been a marked downturn with harsh sentencing for some Human Rights Defenders in mid-2007 and the recent arrest of members of the National Council for the Damascus Declaration,. Amnesty International was allowed to visit Syria in January 2006, the first time since 1997.
Syria has an embryonic civil society. The Security Services coordinate with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to issue licences for the formation of non-governmental organisations. There are now several hundred non-governmental organisations in Syria mainly focussed on development, environment and women and children’s rights. The Head of the State Planning Commission said that the tenth five-year-plan (2006-2010) would assign a more considerable role to civil societies.. However, many non-governmental organisations have an important regime figure spouse or relative as their patron. More politicisednon-governmental organisations have so far failed to obtain a license. Therefore these often operate illegally and the activists subject to arrest and trial in the various security courts.
There are 1-1.5 million Kurds in Syria, making them the largest ethnic minority group in the country. Approximately 250,000 of them not entitled to Syrian nationality and have no civil and political rights. The Tenth Baath Party Congress recommended that this issue be tackled, but this has not progressed far. Decree (Decree 49) passed by President Assad in late 2008, has restricted the buying, selling and transfer of property by Kurds. Resident Palestinians in Syria are prevented from voting and restrictions are also placed on their right to own property.
Religious freedom is provided for by the constitution. Formally recognised religious minorities are generally well respected and have full freedom to practise their faith.
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Contacts
Address:
8 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PH
Telephone:
(020) 7245 9012
Fax:
(020) 7235 4621
Office hours:
Mon-Fri: 0930-1530
Website: http://syremb.com