Al-Assad prioritizes Russian companies in Syria oil and gas extraction projects - State Duma deputy Sablin
DAMASCUS. Feb 8 (Interfax) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad believes that Russian companies should enjoy a priority in oil and gas extraction projects in Syria, State Duma deputy Dmitry Sablin said.
"The president said that neither Iran nor China had such world-renowned oil and gas companies as Russia, and he could envision only Russian companies in the oil and gas sector," Sablin told reporters on Wednesday after Russian parliament deputies had met with al-Assad.
"Russian companies have vast opportunities" in the development of the oil and gas sector, State Duma deputy Alexander Yushchenko, who raised the subject at the meeting, said.
He also said that al-Assad was counting on active input of private Russian companies into Syrian economic growth.
