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Syrians’ will helped country survive crisis: Assad

Tuesday, 31 January 2017 3:10 PM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 31 January 2017 6:30 PM ]

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks in a meeting with industrialists in Damascus, January 31, 2016. (Photo by SANA)

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has hailed the will of his countrymen as one of the major factors helping the Arab country survive a foreign-sponsored conflict over the past six years.

Assad made the remarks on Tuesday in a meeting with industrialists from the capital, Damascus, and its countryside, who had been affected by the Syria crisis, but have managed to resume their activities.

Syria’s official SANA news agency quoted Assad as saying that the industrialists, who had remained steadfast despite losses during the conflict, are “a source of pride.”

The war waged on Syria has an economic aspect in addition to its military side, he said, stressing that the manufacturers’ resistance has helped keep the country’s economic wheel moving.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad speaks in a meeting with industrialists in Damascus, January 31, 2016. (Photo by SANA)

The industrialists, for their part, enumerated the challenges they faced during the crisis and how they were not discouraged and continued their work by setting up small workshops.

They further underlined their determination to bring production to its former level and return to the Arab and international markets.

The meeting also showed that the recent rumors about the Syrian president’s critical health condition were false.

In a statement released on Friday, Assad’s office said that the Syrian leader was in excellent health” and was "carrying out his duties quite normally.”

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