Syria Discusses Economic Cooperation with Lebanon and Russia Feb 15, 2010 Damascus, (SANA)- Minister of Economy and Trade Lamiaa Assi discussed with Russia's ambassador to Syria Sergey Kirpichenko means of developing economic, trade and investment cooperation between Syria and Russia, al-Thawra daily reported Monday. Assi expressed Syria's desire to establish best relations with Russia, hailing the role of the businessmen, companies and investors in enhancing bilateral cooperation, the daily added. Kirpichenko stressed his country's care on enhancing economic and developmental cooperation with Syria due to its important position and vitality of its economy. Good preparations for the Syrian-Russian Joint Committee for Economic, Trade, Scientific and Technical Cooperation scheduled to be held in Russia mid of next September, were agreed on during the meeting. The committee held its last meeting in Damascus in November. Later, Assi reviewed with Lebanese Ambassador in Damascus Michael Khouri means of developing cooperation between Syria and Lebanon in the economic and trade fields. She expressed the desire of activating economic cooperation with Lebanon in the framework of the joint historical ties and the integrated economic and trade potentials between the two countries. For his part, Khouri emphasized the necessity of enhancing economic, trade and investment cooperation to positively affect the economies of both countries. H.Zain/ Ghossoun