Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered a cabinet reshuffle on June 23, bringing in 20 new ministers but keeping three major portfolios unchanged, namely, the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs and Interior. There are also three new ministries founded: The Ministry of National Reconciliation affairs, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Water Resources. (TSR/SANA)

June 25, 2012 (TSR) – Soon after new committee appointments have been announced, the Syrian President Bashar al- Assad ordered a comprehensive cabinet reshuffle on Saturday.

On June 6, Assad has asked the former agriculture minister, Dr. Riyad Hijab, to form a new government under the Presidential decree No. 210, in light of the new constitution and after the election of a new parliament.

Syria’s state-run SANA news agency said new Prime Minister Riyad Farid Hijab announced his new cabinet that has brought in 20 new ministers but three major portfolios are unchanged, namely, the ministers of defense, foreign affairs and interior.

According to a presidential decree broadcast by the Syrian Television, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Minister of Interior Mohammed Ibrahim al-Shaar and Minister of Defense Dawood Rajaha, will remain at their posts.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad ordered a cabinet reshuffle on June 23, bringing in 20 new ministers but keeping three major portfolios unchanged, namely, the Ministers of Defense, Foreign Affairs and Interior. There are also three new ministries founded: The Ministry of National Reconciliation affairs, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Water Resources. (TSR/SANA)

 

The new cabinet combined two opposition figures, Ali Haidar, member of the People’s Will Party, who took the post of Minister of National Reconciliation, and Qadri Jamil, the head of the People’s Will Party who was also named as the Minister of the Domestic Trade.

The new Syrian Government is as follows:

Prime Minister: Dr. Riyad Hijab.

Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense: General Dawood Rajiha.

Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem.

Deputy Prime Minister for Services Affairs, Minister of Local Administration: Eng. Omar Ibrahim Ghalawanji.

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, Minister of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection: Dr. Qadri Jamil

Minister of Communications and Technology: Dr. Imad Abdul-Ghani al-Sabouni.

Minister of Awqaf (Religious Endowments): Dr. Mohammad Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed.

Minister of Presidential Affairs: Mansour Fadlallah Azzam.

Minister of Justice: Radwan Habib.

Minister of Interior: Let. Gen. Mohammad Ibrahim al-Shaar.

Minister of Finance: Dr. Mohammad al-Jleilati.

Minister of Health: Dr. Wael Nader al-Halqi.

Minister of Tourism: Eng. Hala Mohammad al-Nasser.

Minister of Electricity: Eng. Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis.

Minister of Water Resources: Eng. Bassam Hanna.

Minister of Agriculture and Agrarian Reform: Eng. Subhi Ahmad al-Abdullah.

Minister of Higher Education: Dr. Mohammad Yehya Moalla.

Minister of Education: Dr. Hazwan al-Wazz.

Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade: Dr. Mohammad Zafer Mihbek.

Minister of Industry: Dr. Fuad Shukri Kurdi.

Minister of Transport: Dr.  Mahmoud Ibrahim Said.

Minister of Housing and Urban Development: Safwan al-Assaf.

Minister of Public Works: Eng. Yasser al-Sibaei.

Minister of Oil and Mineral Resources: Eng. Said Mu’zi Hneidi.

Minister of Culture: Dr. Lubanah Mshaweh.

Minister of Social Affairs and Labor: Dr. Jassim Mohammad Zakarya.

Minister of Information: Omran Ahed al-Zoubi.

Minister of State for National Reconciliation Affairs: Dr. Ali Haidar.

Minister of State for Environment Affairs: Dr. Nazira Farah Sarkis.

Minister of State: Eng. Hussein Mahmoud Farzat.

Minister of State: Joseph Jurji Sweid.

Minister of State: Mohammad Turki al-Sayyed.

Minister of State: Najm Eddin Khreiit.

Minister of State: Abdullah Khalil Hussein.

Minister of State: Jamal Shaaban Shahin.

New Ministries Formed

There are also three new ministries founded: The Ministry of National Reconciliation affairs, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and the Ministry of Water Resources.

Under the 2012 Presidential Decree No. 44, the establishment of Ministry of Water Resources is to assume the tasks of the former Irrigation Ministry according to the enforced regulations and laws.

2012 Presidential Decree No.46, the establishment of Ministries of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection and Economy and Foreign Trade combined two departments with slight changes in their mandates. The Ministry of Internal Trade and Consumer Protection will assume the tasks assigned to the former Ministry of Provision and Internal Trade whereas the Ministry of Economy and Foreign Trade will still perform its tasks given before legislative decree No. 69 for 2003 came into force, in addition to those specified by the legislative decree No. 21 for 2007.

President Bashar al-Assad also issued 2012 Presidential Decree No. 45 on the establishment of the Ministries of Housing and Urban Development and Public Works which will assume the tasks of the former Ministry of Housing according to the enforced laws and regulations.

The Ministry of Public Works undertakes the tasks of the former Ministry of Building and Construction before legislative decree No. 70 for 2003 came into effect.

SYRIA FIGHTING AGAINST FOREIGN INTERFERENCE 

The new government has been formed amid worsening situation in the country as the 16-month-unrest has veered toward armed insurgency.

Assad regime’s is battling for survival from radical Sunni Islamists threat and terrorism, who are backed, fueled and funded by foreign states, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and USA allies.

Bashar al-Assad is an Alawite, whereas Saudi and Qatar are both Sunni monarchies. The Houla Massacre were just that: The Sunni Islamist Terrorists on killing spree of Alawites. The Assad Regime Army were fighting thugs who are murdering their people, the Alawite minority.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar have both emerged as the main financiers of armed groups in Libya and Syria in order to destabilize those countries. Saudi officials confirmed through an RT report that they are now preparing to pay the salaries of the Free Syria Army.

The latest reports from The Guardian confirms that Turkey has allowed the establishment of a command center in Istanbul which is co-ordinating supply lines in consultation with FSA leaders inside Syria. The centre is believed to be staffed by up to 22 people, most of them Syrian nationals. They have also witnessed the transfer of weapons and cash in early June near the Turkish frontier.

C.I.A. operatives are distributing illegal assault rifles, anti-tank rocket launchers and other ammunition to Syrian opposition  secretly in southern Turkey confirmed by American officials and Arab intelligence officers, according to New York Times.

Weapons, including automatic rifles, rocket-propelled grenades, ammunition and some antitank weapons, are being funneled mostly across the Turkish border by way of a shadowy network of intermediaries including Syria’s Muslim Brotherhood and paid for by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, the officials said.

The NYT source, an unnamed Arab intelligence official, revealed that American officers are also collecting information on Syrian opposition groups and recruiting informants among their ranks. The source said the Obama administration is considering sharing its intelligence data, such as satellite images and detailed information on the location and maneuvers of Syrian troops.

Pentagon is considering various options for interference in the Syrian conflict, including establishing no-fly zones over the country, as was done in Libya a year ago.

Syria, just like Libya, is also bombarded by vast disinformation and psyops warfare from BBC, CNN and Qatari-run Al Jazeera. The Vatican also confirms the conspiracy of lies and propaganda around Syria that these networks are spinning.

Only this time, Russia with President Vladimir Putin and China with Iran are very aware of the culprits. The three have been very consistent in thwarting distorted claims and comments. The latest were British Prime Minister Cameron who stated at G20 that Putin want to oust Assad, only to be slammed by Putin himself.

USA with its NATO allies have been demanding in removing Assad in the name of “democracy” while Russia, China, and Iran have been reiterating to respect Syrian sovereignty. In truth, Syria did practice democracy: At least half of the Syrians voted for Assad during the latest elections, seeing him as a guarantor of their future and security. It is under this premise that Russia and China have strongly combined forces in vehemently opposing any kind of military intervention and regime change. Assad’s future must be decided by the Syrians themselves. Therefore, it is fair to ask why the West with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon claims that the Assad Government has lost its legitimacy when UN Observer Mission Chief Major General Robert Mood himself confirms that there are too many foreign interference that provide weapons and funds to the terrorists? Aren’t the Syrian people whose majority support their president allowed to defend themselves from a vast conspiracy the same way that Libyan Arab Jamahiriya experienced when they lost Muammar Gaddafi?

While the western media insists on killing and sabotaging the Annan Peace Plan with the aforementioned nations with special interests in destroying the Assad Regime, an international conference on Syria and formation of a so-called “Contact Group”, headed by Kofi Annan, is expected to take place on June 30, with Iran encouraged to join the negotiating table, despite USA having tantrums.

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