Excerpts: Syrian state owned companied decline, Russia offers international
conference on Syrian refugees 23 January 2013

+++SOURCE� The Syria Report 23 Jan.’13:�Sales and Profits Decline at
State-owned Cement Plants�

SUBJECT: Syria state-owned cement plants 25 % decline

TEXT:Syria’s state-owned cement manufacturing plants witnessed an annual
decline of 25 percent in their sales last year

+++SOURCE:The Syria Report 23 Jan.’13:�Chemicals Companies Also Post Steep
Decline in Revenues

SUBJECT: State-owned chemical companies significant 2012 revenues drop.

The General Establishment of Chemical Industries is the latest state body to
post a significant drop in its 2012 revenues.

+++SOURCE: Naharnet (Lebanon) 23 Jan.’13:�Putin Meets Suleiman, Promises
International Conference on Syrian Refugees�
SUBJECT:Russia offers international conference on Syrian refugees

QUOTE:�Russian President Vladimir Putin offered . . .to host an
international conference in Moscow on the refugee crisis in Syria�; “Putin:
‘Russia is ready to help Lebanon solve humanitarian issues’ “

FULL TEXT: Russian President Vladimir Putin offered on Wednesday[23 Jan.]
after meeting with President Michel Suleiman to host an international
conference in Moscow on the refugee crisis in Syria sparked by the conflict
between rebels and the regime.

"If the interested nations agree to this, we will be ready to propose Moscow
as the venue," news agencies quoted Putin saying.

The Russian leader also promised Lebanon financial assistance to help deal
with the Syrian refugees on its territory.

The United Nations warned Wednesday[23 Jan.] that more than 650,000 people
have already fled the 22-month conflict to neighboring countries such as
Lebanon and Turkey.

Putin told Suleiman that "Russia is ready to help Lebanon solve humanitarian
issues�.

"We will ask our specialists to determine the size of this assistance," said
Putin.

"It could be made along several different channels -- through direct
financing... and assistance associated with refugee support."

Putin did not specify when exactly the refugee conference in Moscow might be
held.

Russia provides military assistance to Syrian President Bashar Assad's
government and has accused Western powers of inciting more violence by
backing opposition attempts to topple the Damascus regime

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Sue Lerner - Associate, IMRA