ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The new authorities in Damascus are working to reopen the main border crossing with Iraq that was shut when the Syrian regime collapsed in early December, the transport minister told Rudaw in a recent interview.
“Abu Kamal, we can say that the crossing activation has begun and activation steps are in progress,” said Bahaa al-Din Sharm on Tuesday.
The border crossing, which connects the town of Abu Kamal in Syria's Deir ez-Zor province to Iraq's al-Qaim district in Anbar province, was closed in early December, but was temporarily opened to allow thousands of the soldiers to return to their country on December 19.
Iraq has also recently used the border crossing when repatriating its nationals from al-Hol camp, which houses around 40,000 people, mostly wives and children of Islamic State (ISIS) members.
Sharm said they also hope to open more crossings with Iraq that are under the control of the Kurdish administration in Hasaka province in northeast Syria (Rojava).
In the future “after resolving the problems in Hasaka areas, other crossings with Iraq will be opened,” he said.
The minister also touched on key transportation problems, saying Syria’s air, road, and rail sectors are all out-dated and need massive overhauls.
“The cars in Syria are all models from 1980 to 1990 to 2000 and at most 2010. After 2010, the regime stopped car imports,” he said, mentioning their plans to “replace vehicles and we've allowed the import of cars not older than 15 years, meaning cars with good technical specifications and relatively modern technology, in addition to new, unused cars.”
He also said that the state owns only two operational planes and others need maintenance “that is perhaps as costly as the value of the aircraft.”
The minister also said that flights with several destinations have resumed, including the Kurdistan Region’s capital Erbil.
The following is the full transcript of the translated interview with the Syrian transport minister:
Rudaw: How many contracts involving corruption have been cancelled?
Bahaa al-Din Sharm: The transport sector is primarily a service sector. This sector was neglected by the former regime, possibly for several reasons, including focus on private deals and the regime's lack of interest in meeting the needs of the Syrian people. Of course, the existing contracts, whether simple or massive, are contracts tainted by favoritism and are allocated to certain parties or to the presidential palace. Obviously, these contracts do not serve the interests of the state as a state or the people's interests, but rather involve either inflated tender costs or offers that occur at the state's expense for the benefit of ordinary individuals, or they involve reduction of important services in exchange for very low costs.
Which foreign companies were involved in these suspicious contracts?
No, the contracts are not necessarily with foreign companies and they might be in the names of local individuals as fronts, but the contract benefits Bashar al-Assad and his cronies or intelligence agencies. There might be contracts with countries, but these contracts lack fairness. As a state, I should make contracts that serve the public interest for both the state and the people. There are contracts with some countries like Russia or Iran or others, but the public interest in them is not for Syria but for the countries that made these contracts.
There was a contract between Syrian and Iraqi companies worth 10 million dollars. Will this contract also be cancelled?
Perhaps this contract is somewhat different and it's an investment contract where Iraq paid 10 million euros for purchasing some cargo vehicles to operate between Syria and Iraq. The Syrian state didn't pay out any dollars, but through profits the determined amount of 5 million euros would be paid. However, until now, this amount hasn't been paid by the Syrian state and it's considered small compared to other contracts in the Ministry of Transport. But we will communicate with the Iraqi side about this contract to reach a solution, either cancellation or continuation of this contract, but in the right way.
Is travel between Damascus and other cities normal? Can people travel without problems?
Of course, definitely. From day one of liberation, we began meeting people's needs, especially through securing basic necessities like bread and fuel, in addition to securing the transport sector so people can move between provinces. We started securing fuel for vehicles so they could operate in coordination with the Ministry of Oil and we began organizing trips between Damascus and all provinces, between Idlib and all provinces, and between Aleppo and all provinces, in addition to internal transport within each province. We started implementing a plan to set specific pricing that's suitable for vehicle owners and somewhat appropriate for people with very, very limited income. Now we can say approximately 70 to 80% of the pricing or transport fare structure has been completed and implemented. As for serving the public, maybe 50 to 60% of the routes, whether internal or external, have been secured.
Minister, there's another very important matter for people. Compared to other countries, car prices in Syria were very high. Is there a plan to set standard prices for different types of cars?
Of course, the cars in Syria are all models from 1980 to 1990 to 2000 and at most 2010. After 2010, the regime stopped car imports. Of course, there's a plan to replace vehicles and we've allowed the import of cars not older than 15 years, meaning cars with good technical specifications and relatively modern technology, in addition to new, unused cars. Car imports have begun with simple fees set for car entry not exceeding 10 to 15% of the car's value, while previously fees exceeded 300% of the car's value. People have started buying cars, and Syrians in Gulf countries, Iraq, or Turkey have started bringing their cars into Syria, paying customs and entering directly with the car, which has been well-received by the people. Of course, all cars in Syria need to be updated because they're worn out, exceeding 30 or 40 years in some cases. The newest car in Syria is 15 years old. In future phases, it's possible to implement a replacement plan where if someone surrenders their old papers and coordinates the car replacement, we allow them to import a car with a customs exemption, thus helping people replace their old cars with newer ones.
I want to know how many border crossings you have with neighboring countries?
As of now, there are 11 active crossings that belong to the General Authority for Land and Maritime Crossings.
When will you open the border crossing with Iraq?
Regarding Abu Kamal, we can say that the crossing activation has begun and activation steps are in progress. The decision has been made and the activation steps are effective and in the coming phases, after resolving the problems in Hasaka areas, other crossings with Iraq will be opened.
Minister, is transport and trade normal with areas not under your control and under the control of the Syrian Democratic Forces? Are there any problems?
There are security problems and risks to people's movement. We hope to solve this problem as quickly as possible so that people in Hasaka and Deir ez-Zor can visit Damascus and visit their other relatives in the provinces.
How many commercial cargo vehicles operate daily between Syria and Turkey?
No cars enter from Turkey to Syria or vice versa, perhaps due to sanctions. Now sanctions suspension has begun from the European Union and many countries. So in the next phase, we might make agreements with countries to allow Syrian cars to enter neighboring countries and vice versa. Between Turkey and Syria, there is shipping, but it reaches the border, is unloaded, and transferred to Syrian vehicles, while Turkish vehicles don't enter Syria.
There's a major project called the Development Road between Iraq, Turkey, Qatar, and the UAE. Has Syria requested to become part of this major project?
Of course, we are studying all available routes for crossing through Syria and we might study the possibility of a connection from the Mediterranean Sea to Iraq, and possibly connecting Syria with Iraq through several crossings whether by railway or highways, in addition to connecting Europe with Asia via the route connecting Turkey and Jordan through Syria. The matter of connecting Iraq with Turkey hasn't been fully proposed, perhaps for several reasons, including the presence of an area still under SDF control. If implementing a road line connecting Iraq and Turkey through Syria, it must pass through Hasaka and the Hasaka region is not currently secure.
Are there negotiations between you and the Syrian Democratic Forces?
Of course, there are definitely discussions between the leadership and a meeting was held between Ahmed al-Sharaa and SDF representative Mazloum Abdi. Of course, there's some stalling from the SDF waiting for something, but in the end, Syria won't be divided. Syria will be under one administration. We hope that the wise people in the SDF take the right path of Syrian unity and don't drag the region into more bloodshed. The Syrian people have had enough with fourteen years of fighting and destruction. Of course, the Kurdish people are components of the Syrian people and they are our brothers and siblings, and of course there's no difference between us and them, and their rights are like our rights. But the problem is with who controls this region, possibly PKK parties which originally don't think with the Syrian state mentality and think about something specific to them. The people, meaning the Kurds and possibly some components present in the region, whether having political or military weight, might be able to create a solution so the region doesn't fall, God forbid, into battles, bloodshed, killing, bombing, and so forth.
Minister, can your ministry work in Hasaka province?
Unfortunately, after Syria's liberation, instead of communicating with the administration in Damascus to reactivate service for the people - transport being primarily a service sector - some SDF components attacked institutions, burned them, and stole their contents, whether in Deir ez-Zor, Manbij, or in Raqqa and Tabqa areas, the areas they entered after the regime's withdrawal. They stole contents and burned archives and papers, in addition to the places that were in Hasaka where they previously allowed the regime or employees of the former regime to enter. After Syria was liberated, they expelled these employees, and control went to SDF, cutting communication with Damascus.
Regarding airports, is Qamishli airport under your ministry's control?
Three days after liberation, the SDF completely took over Qamishli airport and cut communication with Damascus.
Minister, how many airports are there in Syria?
The number of civilian airports in Syria is five, and only Damascus and Aleppo are operational. There's Hmeimim airport in Latakia, which God willing will be activated in the coming days. The airport works but due to the presence of the Russian base, a plan is being developed to solve this problem. In addition to Qamishli airport which is controlled by SDF, in the coming days God willing, after liberating the area from the SDF, God willing, it will be activated. There's Deir ez-Zor civilian airport but it's heavily damaged and needs maintenance costs. As for Damascus and Aleppo airports, they are working well.
How many planes does Syria have?
Syrian aircraft are very few. The state owns only two operational aircraft and there are some aircraft that need maintenance that is perhaps as costly as the value of the aircraft. There's an independent Syrian company that maybe has five or six operational aircraft and there are contracts with many companies. The problem isn't with the availability of Syrian aircraft, but the problem was the regime's restriction on any contract that could be invested in by the aviation sector. The next phase will see Damascus airport and Aleppo airport receiving good numbers of aircraft, God willing.
Many Syrians living in Europe ask when will flights resume between Damascus or Aleppo with Europe or Germany, for example. When will direct flights between Germany and Syria resume?
We can say aircraft have started coming from several countries, including Erbil, an aircraft arrived from Erbil some time ago. There are matters related to sanctions and matters related to the state itself, whether it wants to send aircraft or doesn't want to send aircraft, but we can say that every day the number of flights coming to Damascus is increasing.
Will there be flights between Damascus and Germany soon?
The matter is related to Germany, while Damascus airport is ready to receive flights from Germany and other countries.
Minister, there are damaged and non-operational railway lines, do you have plans to develop this sector too?
Sixty to 70% of the railways are out of service and 30 to 40% that exist need urgent maintenance. Trains need maintenance and train engines need maintenance, and all stations need maintenance, and we need spare parts. Train operation has been activated for transporting basic materials like fuel and others from the coast to Aleppo and Damascus, and the railway works, but all the railways are old and if transport develops more, they need new, costly maintenance. There are railways that can't be maintained but need to be completely replaced from scratch. There are some lines connecting Iraq and Syria passing through Hasaka that are disabled, and some have lost their contents, and some work but due to security matters, these routes were cut.
This question is related to the metro system. Do you have plans to develop the metro system in Aleppo or Damascus?
We are studying the elevated metro or underground metro under Damascus. Currently, the plan is only for Damascus due to excessive congestion in Damascus, and perhaps if the plan succeeds through international companies, we will begin implementing it, God willing.
Which companies from which countries do you have connections with?
Of course, the primary interest is the public interest that benefits the Syrian people and the Syrian state. Doors are open to all companies, especially international ones with good expertise. Of course, there are countries that from day one stood with Damascus and were originally supporting the Syrian revolution against the former regime and they were forerunners in presenting offers to work on helping the government completely build its institutions. Now each ministry has a reviewing office that studies projects and submitted offers that have more benefit for the state, and contracts are written based on that.
