Syria and China sign economic and technical cooperation agreements

Syria and China signed agreements on economic and technical cooperation on the second day of Chinese Vice President Hu Jintao's visit to Damascus. The agreements are aimed at "reinforcing cooperation in the areas of energy, irrigation, agriculture, industry, transport, oil and construction," the agency said.
Syria also secured an interest-free development loan from China of $ 3.6 mm. Hu had talks with his Syrian counterpart, Abdel Halim Khaddam, and with Prime Minister Mustapha Miro.

The Chinese vice president, who is on a four-day visit to Syria, arrived in Damascus from Iran. He is later due in Jordan, Cyprus and Uganda. During a dinner with President Bashar al-Assad, Hu blamed Israel for the violence in the Palestinian Territories and the halt to the peace negotiations with Syria.