While international oil companies show little hesitation over ploughing windfalls from soaring oil prices into neighbouring countries such as Libya and Egypt, Syria is watching helplessly as the retreat of Western companies hastens.
Entrenched bureaucracy, diminished chances of new oil and gas finds and falling output have long dampened investment in the upstream sector.
Haddad's aloof character does not help either. He has not proven to be media savvy and at times is dismissive of the press when he possibly needs all the publicity he can muster to promote his quest for foreign money.
Darker
