STG Engineering Denies Reports of Contract Termination at Syria’s Tartous Port

STG Engineering, operator of Syria’s Tartous port, denies claims of losing its contract. Reports suggested that new Syrian authorities rescinded the agreement due to unmet conditions from the original 2019 deal. However, the company asserts it continues operations as usual, emphasizing that any potential annulment would require formal legislative processes.

STG Engineering, the Russian operator of Syria’s Tartous port, has refuted claims that it has lost its contract, asserting that operations continue normally. Recent reports from several Syrian businessmen and media outlets suggested that the administration in Syria had annulled the agreement, originally established under former President Bashar al-Assad, who seeking refuge in Moscow after a swift rebel offensive.

The semi-official newspaper Al-Watan quoted Riad Joudy, head of Tartous customs, alleging that the contract was voided due to the company’s failure to meet the terms of the 2019 investment agreement aimed at infrastructure development. However, Dmitry Trifonov, CEO of STG Engineering, informed Reuters that the company had received no official notification regarding the annulment of their contract and emphasized that any termination process would be elaborate and require parliamentary approval.

Trifonov affirmed, “It is impossible to terminate the agreement unilaterally, because it has been ratified by both the president and the parliament, and no one has notified us.” He contended that claims of annulment lack legitimacy and noted that such actions involve formal procedures that cannot be disregarded.

Media references to STG Engineering inaccurately identified it as STG Stroytransgaz, a significant construction firm. Upon inquiry, Stroytransgaz clarified its lack of association with STG Engineering regarding the Tartous port contract, stating, “JSC Stroytransgaz is a construction holding company and neither organisationally nor legally had, or has, anything to do with the company STG Engineering.”

In parallel developments, Russia is engaged in discussions with Syria’s new authorities regarding its naval and air bases in Tartous, critical facilities for its operations in the Mediterranean. The Tartous facility serves as Russia’s only repair and replenishment hub in the region, supporting military logistics and contractor movements into Africa.

In summary, STG Engineering has firmly denied reports of a contract termination for the management of Tartous port, reiterating that operations are ongoing. The company’s CEO highlighted the necessity for formal procedures in any potential annulment, cultivating skepticism toward the claims circulating in the media. The broader implications of Russia’s discussions with Syrian authorities further underscore the strategic significance of Tartous in maintaining Russia’s military presence in the Mediterranean.

Original Source: www.newarab.com