Zuhair Masharqa | |
---|---|
زهير مشارقة | |
Vice President of Syria | |
In office 11 March 1984 – 21 February 2005 Serving with Rifaat al-Assad and Abdul Halim Khaddam | |
President | Hafez Assad Bashar Assad |
Preceded by | Rifaat al-Assad |
Succeeded by | Farouk Sharaa |
Assistant Regional Secretary of the Syrian 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 the Regional Command of the Syrian Regional Branch | |
In office 15 April 1975 – 9 February 2005 | |
Personal details | |
Born | 1938 Aleppo, Syria |
Died | 23 April 2007 Damascus, Syria | (aged 68–69)
Resting place | Aleppo |
Political party | Ba'ath Party |
Alma mater | Damascus University Aleppo University |
Muhammad Zuhair Masharqa (1938 – 23 April 2007) (Arabic: زهير مشارقة) was a Syrian politician who served as Vice President of Syria from 1984 to 2005.
Masharqa came from a Sunni family.[1] He received a bachelor's degree in education from Damascus University in 1961.[2] He also obtained a degree in law from Aleppo University in 1968.[2]
His first public post was governor of Hama to which he was appointed in 1973.[3] Masharqa became a member of the Baath 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 2005, and was particularly noted for his loyalty to Hafez 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 Assad chose to retain him as a vice president up to his retirement in 2005.[7] He was replaced by Farouk 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 in Aleppo.[8]