NEW DELHI: Strife-torn Syria has acknowledged India’s growing power suggesting that New Delhi has a role to play in meeting the challenge of terrorism. Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, facing the worst-ever terror crisis in the country, also invited India to play an active role in the reconstruction of the Syrian economy.
The Syrian President made the assertion during his meeting with Minister of State for External Affairs M J Akbar when the latter called on him on Saturday during his Syria visit.
“There was an agreement between both the sides for further upgrading security consultations,” the government sources said. During the meeting, the Syrian President also welcomed India’s objective position on the conflict in Syria and both leaders acknowledged that terrorism was a global problem.
“As a growing power, India has a role to play in meeting the challenge of terrorism,” government sources quoted Assad as saying.
Akbar, during the meeting, said the age of destruction should give way to the age of reconstruction in Syria soon. The five-year-old Syrian civil war has resulted in unparallel destruction in the West Asian Country where a rebel alliance is fighting against Assad’s forces. President Assad’s forces are trying to recapture Aleppo and the fierce clashes were seen last week between regime and rebels backed by Fateh al-Sham around Om al-Qaraa and it was finally reclaimed by the government forces.
Several cities and heritage sites like Palmyra, Apamea, Bosra, Khan Sheikhoun, Kafr Nubbel have been damaged in the conflict. Cultural heritage site ‘Temple of Baalshamin’ was blown up in August 2015 while ‘Tower of Elahbel’ and several other ancient tombs were destroyed between June and September 2015.
Akbar is on a week-long visit to West Asia from August 17.