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The Narrow Economic Chamber in Syria has been known for its close relationship with Lebanese businessmen and various companies for many years, but it began to appear publicly about two years ago, as part of the reconstruction campaign in Syria, when the Syrian regime tried to prevent the effects of economic sanctions, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Success was crowned with Washington’s insistence on prohibiting all foreigners from dealing with Damascus.
The Caesar Act, which was approved by the US Congress, came into force last June, to initiate sanctions against the Syrian regime and its allies, the latest of which was the inclusion of the US Treasury this week, of the Lebanese Kamal Imad al-Din al-Madani and Tariq Imad al-Din al-Madani, in their capacity. One of the founders of the oil company, Salizar, is on the sanctions list.
Kamal and Tariq, the first one was born in 1980, and the second one was born in 1984, and they are two of the founders of the “Slazar” company who signed oil agreements with the Syrian government. The former is the CEO and Chairman of the Board and is authorized to sign with a 25% stake in the company, and Tariq is the deputy CEO of the company. Member of the Board of Directors and authorized signatory with a 25% stake in the company.
Recording after midnight
Salizar owns an 85 percent joint stake in two joint ventures with the Syrian Ministry of Petroleum and Mineral Resources and the Syrian Refining and Distribution Corporation (PERD) to establish two new oil refineries in Syria.
According to data from the Lebanese Commercial Registry, the family business “Salizar”, of this type, is of limited liability, and all its partners are of the same surname (Imad al-Din al-Madani), and was registered on April 12 2018 at 12:00 pm (unusual procedure in law).
Oil company whose subject is trade and contracting
According to the official file of the company, the theme of its work revolves around “general trade, import, export, commission, intermediation, nationalism, marketing, promotion, establishment and administration of factories of all kinds, transport, maritime and land transport and all trade and real estate construction ”, according to its official file.
The company that specializes in the oil business in Syria, contrary to its subject matter, there are no restrictions, contracts and agreements in its official registry, as shown in its schedule published on the website of the Lebanese Commercial Registry.
Salizar is not the only one, as the Syrian regime worked to rely on Lebanese companies, mostly Lebanese partners, to evade sanctions from the United States, which, according to legal sources, was aware of its danger to its corrupt economy, according to legal sources , to the Al-Hurra website.
The sources added that “around 13 companies related to reconstruction and contracting were established in the Lebanese business registers during the last two years, including but not limited to“ AF Contracting ”, explaining that“ the objective of this is first to allow the international investors enter the reconstruction line without exposing them to risks. Sanctions “.
A recently published investigation of the “Levent” network also revealed that a Syrian member of parliament, Subhi Abash, owns stakes in “Union Petroleum SAL” and “Oil Stream Offshore SAL”, whose business is conducting oil business. .
To Iraq and Romania
In this context, the director of the media platform “We are all partners”, and the Syrian economic researcher, Ayman Abdel Nour, confirmed in an interview with the website “Al-Hurra”, that “Lebanon is the main place for money laundering and the pumping of dollars into Syria, as admitted by the president of the regime, Bashar Al-Assad, in his last speech, holding the Lebanese banks responsible for the collapse of its economy.
Abdel Nour revealed that “two companies are registered with the same name in Syria and Lebanon, as long as they operate as an internal company that has bank accounts and economic practice abroad”, adding that “with this, the system uses the opening of documentary credits for purchase and import through Lebanese banks and ports, and then transferred to the interior. Sirius ”.
He noted that “after the regime’s work plan is exposed, the latter would turn to Iraq, specifically to establish companies in the Kurdistan region, in addition to others in Europe, especially in Romania, because Rami Makhlouf’s father-in-law, the cousin Bashar’s Walid Othman has diplomatic immunity that allows him to transfer money through the diplomatic bag on behalf of the embassy there, as an alternative to Lebanon.
He considered that “the size of foreign companies is enormous, and with different names of partners, which are changed every period to evade sanctions from the United States.” Significant more than what is recorded in your financial statements.
Abdel Nour stressed that “most of the companies are fully licensed in Lebanon or Syria, and they are not necessarily multinational or offshore companies.”
‘Economy instead of military intervention’
In light of the continued economic sanctions that are being followed by foreign moral and material figures who support Assad, interviewed Jalal, a researcher at the Institute for Strategic Leadership Studies at the American University of James, told Al-Hurra that “ The United States uses many methods to pressure regimes it considers Hostile to it. “
He said: “The US administration has made sure not to slip militarily in the Syrian crisis.”
The American Institute researcher considered that “the policy of economic sanctions against the Syrian regime is the maximum that can be used, imposing sanctions on people and entities that are believed to have an economic relationship with the Syrian regime.”
He said: “In determining the parties to which economic sanctions are imposed, it is practical to shed light on these parties and better monitor their movements, thus cutting off the channels of support that these parties obtain to work to support the Syrian regime.” It takes more time to get results compared to military power.
Source: Free
