ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The Kurdish-held areas in northeast Syria cannot live without other parts of the country, therefore there must be a unified Syria, minister of internal trade said.
"Syria as a whole is like a human being, like a body that cannot live without any of its organs. The eastern regions that are now under the authority of what is called SDF cannot live without the other regions of other governorates, nor can other governorates live without each other in terms of trade and agriculture. The eastern regions have their own characteristics, which might not exist in some areas and vice versa, what exists in other areas, central regions or coastal areas might not exist in SDF areas or areas under Kurdish control," Maher Khalil al-Hassan told Rudaw.
He added that unifying all regions under the umbrella of the new government "brings multiple gains to Syrians and citizens of all classes and races."
A delegation from the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) on Monday held their first meeting with the country's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus, discussing the future of northeast Syria and SDF-held neighborhoods in Aleppo, an informed source told Rudaw on Tuesday.
"The negotiations between us and SDF are political negotiations conducted by the political administration in the government, not technical negotiations between one ministry or another. Therefore, they continue whether with SDF or with other forces. These negotiations haven't been disclosed because they're still in the consultation phase. If there are any results, the political administration will clarify them," the minister noted.
Ukraine has sent 500 tonnes of flour to Syria as a humanitarian gesture following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime, the country's president announced on social media on Friday.
"The mechanism of wheat provision by Russia to the previous regime was complex, where wheat was sent without payment and accumulated debt until the amount became very large. We were contacted about continuing the previous contracts with payment conditions, but truthfully, the contracts with the previous regime were made at very high prices, almost double the real market price of wheat, so we have now suspended these contracts," the Syrian minister said.
The following the full transcript of the interview:
Rudaw: Greetings, Minister. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine, announced that some wheat will be sent as aid to the Syrian people. Has this Ukrainian aid reached your warehouses?
Maher Khalil al-Hassan : Greetings to you too, thank you. Yes, there is talk about this, but it hasn't arrived yet; its arrival needs some time.
It's known that Russia was one of the countries that provided wheat to Syria, but after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, they announced they would stop providing wheat to Syria. Will this have an impact on Syria?
The mechanism of wheat provision by Russia to the previous regime was complex, where wheat was sent without payment and accumulated debt until the amount became very large. We were contacted about continuing the previous contracts with payment conditions, but truthfully, the contracts with the previous regime were made at very high prices, almost double the real market price of wheat, so we have now suspended these contracts.
Minister, let me ask again about Ukraine's aid, you said it still needs time. Is there any specific date when this Ukrainian aid will arrive or not?
Regarding aid, many countries are contacting us and expressing their readiness to provide assistance to the Syrian people, who are truly suffering as a result of the fallen regime's period. We thank all countries for this goodwill and desire to provide aid to the Syrian people, including Ukraine.
You have announced that one-third of the price of imported goods was taxes that the ruling family, meaning the Assad family, imposed on merchants. Now after the fall of the Assad regime, have the prices of imports decreased concerning the citizens?
Yes, they decreased immediately and quickly, and people noticed this when we canceled all the bribes and taxes that the previous regime had imposed on merchants, importers, and industrialists. Additionally, we are seriously and practically investigating reducing customs duties on all imported goods. Thank God, the prices of most goods have decreased by half, and some even more.
You mentioned taxes. Have you established a mechanism to reduce taxes on imported food?
Yes, yes. We had a meeting yesterday and several more meetings will follow, perhaps today and tomorrow. Our general policy is to reduce customs duties to the minimum level that creates a balance between state revenue and price reduction for citizens and people in general. Most of the items discussed in yesterday's meeting had their taxes reduced or were considered for reduction to about 50% of the previous tax rate.
Let's talk about people's salaries. During Bashar al-Assad's regime, one of people's biggest problems was low salaries. Now after Bashar al-Assad's departure, have salaries been increased by 400%?
Actually, it was decided to increase salaries by the percentage you mentioned, but we need some time. By some time, I mean a few days, not a long period, to organize program operations, staff, and human resources in all Syrian governorates before we raise them to finance and approve the mentioned increase.
Another very important issue relates to your relationship with the Syrian Democratic Forces. In a press interview a few days ago, you said you are in talks with the Syrian Democratic Forces and would reach results in these few days. Have you reached any results with the SDF?
In fact, the Kurdish component cannot be reduced to just SDF or what is called SDF. The Kurdish people are a fundamental and essential component of the Syrian people, an inseparable part of it - they are our people and we are their people. Negotiations continue with all Kurdish forces, whether SDF or other forces, to restore the unity of all Syrian territory so it becomes one piece, a united Syria that includes everyone from Kurds to Arabs, away from sect, race, or religion. Negotiations are ongoing and, God willing, are moving toward improvement. We see a great desire among our Kurdish brothers to integrate into the new state and not continue in their current situation, which has been imposed on some of them, not all, by certain parties.
I'd like to discuss that, but Minister, let me first get an answer to this question - the talks you have had with SDF, did they have results, did you reach any conclusions?
The negotiations between us and SDF are political negotiations conducted by the political administration in the government, not technical negotiations between one ministry or another. Therefore, they continue whether with SDF or with other forces. These negotiations haven't been disclosed because they're still in the consultation phase. If there are any results, the political administration will clarify them.
But this might be something related to your ministry. I want to know what your negotiations were about, were they about oil?
No, no. In fact, the matter is bigger than the issue of oil or wheat or any other product. It's a matter of sovereignty, a matter of Syrian state sovereignty, a matter of restoring the authority of the current government or state over all Syrian territory, a matter of integrating all components of the Syrian people in the current state and government, and the participation of all Syrian components in building the new Syria that we hope for. As I said, the Kurdish component is a very important component at this stage.
Well Minister, Kurds are demanding political, national, and constitutional rights for Syrian Kurdistan. You indicated that Kurds are an important part of Syria, are you open to these kinds of negotiations with Kurds to grant them these rights they're demanding?
These matters are actually related to the political administration, but what I know, as I told you, is that Syria is for everyone, not for a specific nationality, race, or religion. It includes everyone, Syria's history says so. What happened in the previous phase during the past 50 or 60 years, which established this racism and sectarianism, was the fallen Assad regime, but if we go back before that history, we see that among the Syrian people, no one talks about race, sect, denomination, or religion, but rather talks about being Syrian as the main component away from all sects, religions, and races.
You know that Kurds are the second largest nationality in Syria, but looking at the composition of the transitional government, we see Kurds aren't included in it, is this correct?
Certainly, they are a main component and will have an active and major role in the next phase and in the transitional government. Let me tell you something: I think what made some Kurds think about nationalism or creating a Kurdish state or ethnic nationalism was the actions of the fallen regime. We know the fallen regime worked on dividing the Syrian people into races, sects, and religions to control them and steal their wealth. As we know, a large portion of Kurdish brothers were deprived of many civil rights, I even know some or a large portion of them didn't have personal or civil IDs. These actions of the fallen regime led to the desire to create a Kurdish state or nationalism for the Kurdish nation as a result of the oppression by the fallen regime, but now, God willing, under the just state, the state of mercy, the state of tolerance, the state of humanity, the state of coexistence for all, all these things will disappear with God's support.
Well Minister, the United Nations, America, European countries, and even Iraq and the Kurdistan Region are calling for the new Syria to have pluralistic governance where all components and nationalities participate. You as a new authority indicated that you'll give rights to all nationalities, do you accept a pluralistic government?
Even without requests, this is our policy and vision; Syria is for everyone, Syria isn't for a specific group or sect or denomination, Syria is for everyone. Without anyone asking us, this is our policy, vision, and message that we've had since the beginning of the liberation process. Syria is for everyone and we invite everyone to participate, not just being allowed to participate, but being invited to participate. From here we invite all Syrians with all their sects, races, and denominations from inside and outside to join hands to build the new Syria, the Syria of the future.
Minister, Syrian Kurdistan is a main source of wheat, rice, cotton, and also oil. How does your government deal with this?
Syria as a whole is like a human being, like a body that cannot live without any of its organs. The eastern regions that are now under the authority of what is called SDF cannot live without the other regions of other governorates, nor can other governorates live without each other in terms of trade and agriculture. The eastern regions have their own characteristics, which might not exist in some areas and vice versa, what exists in other areas, central regions or coastal areas might not exist in SDF areas or areas under Kurdish control. Unifying all these regions under the umbrella of the new government brings multiple gains to Syrians and citizens of all classes and races, and also reduces the pressures of life that currently exist on all sides, through the exchange of commercial and agricultural goods between all governorates and reducing imports, due to these current barriers and separatist structures.
Well, I'd like to ask a question Minister, from you I want to know how Mr. Ahmad Al-Jarba deals with the Kurdish issue, how does he handle the Kurdish issue? When you were in Idlib, did you have a written plan for solving the Kurdish issue?
This question can be directed to him personally.
Given that you're a minister in his government and I think you're close to him, can't you answer this question?
I answered and told you our view of the Kurdish people is as a main component, actually we don't even want to use terms like Kurdish people or Arab people or Armenian people, we are the Syrian people and we are one, but as I told you it was the previous phase that established this situation. Our vision is to dissolve and remove all these terms and only use the term Syrian, all our policies are under this framework.
Well Minister, let's talk about relations with Iraq. Are you in negotiations with the Iraqi government to open border crossings with Iraq?
Certainly relations whether with the Iraqi government or neighboring countries in general, the Iraqi government or Turkish state or even Jordan or Lebanon, near or far, thank God there are many, quick, and continuous visits from all countries to open a new page after the previous regime had closed the door on all countries, especially brotherly and neighboring countries. Commercial movement has quickly returned in places that are logistically ready or through roads. Some places may need some time, but the mutual will between the current state and neighboring countries is a strong will to reactivate trade relations between the current state and all countries, whether brotherly Arab countries or even friendly foreign countries.
I'm speaking with you from the Kurdistan Region. I ask, do you want to establish trade relations with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq?
As far as I know, we are open to relations with all countries under the umbrella of bilateral and friendly relations between the current state and all countries regardless of their origin and background.
In the past, Minister, there has been trade in importing olives, olive oil through some border crossings between the Kurdistan Region and Syria. Will these dealings and trade continue?
Do you mean the trade relations between the previous regime and the Kurdistan Region?
I mean the current government, I mean traders, traders have dealings between the Kurdistan Region in Syria and Western Kurdistan with the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, will you allow this trade to continue?
Wherever we see the interest of the Syrian people, this great people who have suffered oppression, poverty, and displacement, wherever we see the interest of the Syrian people to reduce their suffering and restore them to their true position, we will spare no effort in this framework, with any party according to the current leadership's established policy.
Minister, I was very, very pleased. Thank you for this opportunity you gave me to have a conversation with you. Mr. Mahir Khalil Hassan, Minister of Internal Trade of the Syrian Transitional Government. Thank you again, I was delighted.
You're welcome.
Thank you very much
