Syria Direct: News Update 9-03-2013

* Al-Watan: Syria needs 73 billion dollars to rebuild its infrastructure and this number is increasing daily.

* Al-Manar: “Saudi wants to end Syria’s existence by any means possible,” says Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister, Faisal al-Moqdad.

* Syrian Minister of Interior Trade and Costumer Protection Samir Qadi announces that 200,000 tons of flour are being imported into Syria.

* “Just remember that Assad’s family has enslaved you for years, and now this family insists on using you as fuel for its fires, which are burning Syria. Say no and you will find all of Syria by your side,” well-known Alawite writer and director Fo’ad Hamireh wrote to his fellow Alawites on his Facebook page.

* LCC: 55 regime members, counting an officer among them, defected from Division17 in A-Raqqa on Monday, while 50 soldiers defected from Brigade 104 in Outer Damascus province on the same day.

* “Anyone who claims that we used chemical weapons on 21 of August in Outer Damascus province should present evidence,” Bashar Assad tells Le Figaro.“I dare America and France to come up with any.”