Zuhair Masharqa | |
|---|---|
زهير مشارقة | |
 Masharqa in 1970s | |
| Vice President of Syria | |
| In office 11 March 1984 – 21 February 2006 Serving with Rifaat al-Assad andAbdul Halim Khaddam | |
| President | Hafez al-Assad Bashar al-Assad |
| Preceded by | Rifaat al-Assad |
| Succeeded by | Farouk Sharaa |
| Assistant Regional Secretary of theSyrian Regional Branch | |
| In office 7 January 1980 – 20 January 1985 | |
| Regional Secretary | Hafez al-Assad |
| Preceded by | Mohamad Jaber Bajbouj |
| Succeeded by | Sulayman Qaddah |
| Member of theRegional Command of theSyrian Regional Branch | |
| In office 15 April 1975 – 9 June 2005 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1938 |
| Died | 23 April 2007(2007-04-23) (aged 68–69) Damascus, Syria |
| Resting place | Aleppo |
| Political party | Ba'ath Party |
| Alma mater | Damascus University Aleppo University |
Muhammad Zuhair Masharqa (Arabic:زهير مشارقة; 1938 – 23 April 2007) was aSyrian politician who served asVice President of Syria from 1984 to 2006.
Masharqa came from a Sunni family.[1] He received a bachelor's degree in education fromDamascus University in 1961.[2] He also obtained a degree in law fromAleppo University in 1968.[2]
His first public post was governor ofHama to which he was appointed in 1973.[3] Masharqa became a member of theBaath Party in 1975.[3] Later he became deputy director of the party.[4] Masharqa was appointed to the cabinet in 1978 as Minister of Education and became vice president for Domestic Affairs on 11 March 1984.[4][5] He was the country's longest serving vice president, in office from 1984 to 2006, and was particularly noted for his loyalty toHafez al-Assad. After the death of Assad in 2000, a 9-member committee was formed to oversee the transition period, and Masharqa was among its members.[6]
Bashar al-Assad chose to retain him as a vice president up to his retirement in 2006.[7] He was replaced byFarouk Sharaa as vice president.[2]
Masharqa was married and had five children.[3]
Masharqa died due to a massive heart attack in Damascus on 23 April 2007.[3] His body was buried inAleppo.[8]
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