Syria-Venezuela strengthen ties

Syria-Venezuela Relations

Syria has boosted its ties with Venezuela by signing five trade, agricultural and energy cooperation agreements, according to the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry.

Included in the deals signed by the nations Foreign Ministers, Nicolas Maduro (Venezuela) and Walid Muallem (Syria), was a deal to build an oil refinery that can process 140,000 barrels per day. The agreements, signed in Damascus, will undoubtedly improve relations between Syria and Venezuela but may also serve to damage relations between the Middle Eastern state and the US.

Since President Obama came to office tensions have been eased, with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad even praising Obama's ardor for dialogue back in March this year, and also telling two US lawmakers his country is hoping for better relations with Washington.

Strengthening stability in the Middle East

"Assad and the US delegates discussed bilateral relations between Syria and the United States and the need for working on removing the hurdles that block their advance in a way that would serve the strengthening of stability in the Middle East," a presidential statement said.

However, Assad's decision to move closer to Venezuela could instead provide more hurdles, considering the poor state of relations between the US and Chavez.

Syria has signed several oil and gas deals with foreign companies in recent years and launched tenders for exploration in both sectors in a bid to boost its dwindling energy output.

Increase self-sufficiency

Venezuela has also taken recent steps to increase its self-sufficiency, by entering more deals with foreign governments in attempts to cut ties with Washington. As a result Chavez has built closer ties with Russia, Iran and Syria as well as other countries in the Middle East.

Syria are taking a risk by strengthening ties with a relatively unstable state with a highly unpredictable leader. The US dollar has weakened to unprecedented levels in recent months, prompting many states in the Middle East to consider moving away from super-power. But the US will return to former glory at some stage, and the Middle East should bare this in mind.

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