BEIRUT: Religions are once again playing prominent roles in societies, especially in the Middle East, said German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier from Beirut on Tuesday.
Addressing Islamic and Christian religious authorities who received him in Lebanon’s Dar Al-Fatwa, he said: “Religious harmony indicates acceptance of diversity and coexistence among the various components of society.”
“Germany has experienced this kind of coexistence and is aware of its importance as a basis for stability and peace.”
Sheikh Abdul Latif Derian, the grand mufti of Lebanon, highlighted the importance of coexistence in Lebanon, and stressed that “Islam has nothing to do with violent extremism or religious terrorism.”
“Islam is based on respect for human dignity and diversity. It calls for peace, love and unity,” he said. “The region’s stability will only result in ending the occupation in Jerusalem and Palestine.”
The German president also met Prime Minister Saad Hariri and discussed “bilateral relations between the two countries and ways for improving cooperation, as well as Germany’s participation in the three upcoming international conferences to support Lebanon — the Rome 2 Conference for supporting the Lebanese Armed Forces, the Paris Conference for supporting Lebanon’s economy, and the Brussels Conference on Supporting the Future of Syria and the Region,” according to the prime minister’s media office.
In his meeting with Steinmeier, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri highlighted the importance of holding the vote of the upcoming parliamentary elections on time and promised to prevent anything that jeopardized the stability and unity of the Lebanese people, his media office said.
Germany’s president visited the crew of the German Navy’s UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeepers on their vessel F261 Magdeburg, which is anchored at Pier 3 in the seaport of Beirut.
Steinmeier has also laid a wreath at the Martyrs’ Square in Beirut in the presence of ministers and dignitaries.
President Aoun and Steinmeier stressed “the need to find a political solution for the current Syrian crisis and the importance of Germany’s participation in the three conferences to be held in Rome, Brussels and Paris to support Lebanon.”
When asked about his country’s encouragement for ensuring the safe return of displaced people, the German president replied: “We have thoroughly discussed the situation in Syria, and after several failed international attempts to achieve a cease-fire, I became slightly more optimistic after the defeat of Daesh.”
“There are new developments in northern Syria, but we still don’t know their long-term impact on the security situation,” he said, “We must watch the developments very closely.”
“I think the Lebanese president and government will continue to discuss the return of refugees, but unfortunately, most parts of Syria are not yet suitable for the return of the displaced.”
Germany′s Steinmeier meets religious authorities in Lebanon
Germany′s Steinmeier meets religious authorities in Lebanon
Washington presses Syria to shift from Chinese telecom systems
- Syria is exploring the possibility of procuring Chinese technology
- It was unclear whether the United States pledged financial or logistical support to Syria to do so
DAMASCUS: The United States has warned Syria against relying on Chinese technology in its telecommunications sector, arguing it conflicts with US interests and threatens US national security, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
The message was conveyed during an unreported meeting between a US State Department team and Syrian Communications Minister Abdulsalam Haykal in San Francisco on Tuesday. Washington has been coordinating closely with Damascus since 2024, when Syria’s now President Ahmed Al-Sharaa ousted longtime leader Bashar Assad, who had a strategic partnership with China.
Syria is exploring the possibility of procuring Chinese technology to support its telecommunications towers and the infrastructure of local Internet service providers, according to a Syrian businessman involved in the procurement talks.
“The US side asked for clarity on the ministry’s plans regarding Chinese telecom equipment,” said another source briefed on the talks.
But Syrian officials said infrastructure development projects were time-critical and that Damascus was seeking greater vendor diversity, the source added.
SYRIAN OFFICIALS CITE US EXPORT CONTROLS AS TELECOMS BARRIER
Syria is open to partnering with US firms but the matter was urgent and export controls and “over-compliance” remained an issue, according to person familiar with the meeting in San Francisco.
A US diplomat familiar with the discussions told Reuters that the US State Department “clearly urged Syrians to use American technology or technology from allied countries in the telecoms sector.”
It was unclear whether the United States pledged financial or logistical support to Syria to do so.
Responding to Reuters questions, a US State Department spokesperson said: “We urge countries to prioritize national security and privacy over lower-priced equipment and services in all critical infrastructure procurement. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”
The spokesperson added that Chinese intelligence and security services “can legally compel Chinese citizens and companies to share sensitive data or grant unauthorized access to their customers’ systems” and promises by Chinese companies to protect customers’ privacy were “entirely inconsistent with China’s own laws and well-established practices.”
China has repeatedly rejected allegations of it using technology for spying purposes.
The Syrian Ministry of telecommunications told Reuters any decisions related to equipment and infrastructure are made “in accordance with national technical and security standards, ensuring data protection and service continuity.”
The ministry said it is also prioritizing the diversification of partnerships and technology sources to serve the national interest.
Syria’s telecom infrastructure has relied heavily on Chinese technology due to US sanctions imposed on successive Assad governments over the civil war that grew from a crackdown on anti-government protests in 2011.
Huawei technology accounts for more than 50 percent of the infrastructure of Syriatel and MTN, the country’s only telecom operators, according to a senior source at one of the companies and documents reviewed by Reuters. Huawei did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Syria is seeking to develop its private telecommunications sector, devastated by 14 years of war, by attracting foreign investment.
In early February, Saudi Arabia’s largest telecom operator, STC, announced it would invest $800 million to “strengthen telecommunications infrastructure and connect Syria regionally and internationally through a fiber-optic network extending over 4,500 kilometers.”
The ministry of telecommunications says that US restrictions “hinder the availability of many American technologies and services in the Syrian market,” emphasizing that it welcomes expanding cooperation with US companies when these restrictions are lifted.
Syria has inadequate telecommunications infrastructure, with network coverage weak outside city centers and connection speeds in many areas barely exceeding a few kilobits per second.
