Al-Shara: Outlet of current unstable situation is achievement of a just and comprehensive peace
Syria-Egypt, Politics, 5/9/2000

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and members of the accompanying delegation on Monday evening arrived in Syria from Cairo following a short visit to Egypt.

Earlier, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and Egyptian counterpart Amr Moussa, on Monday held a joint press conference in Cairo following the summit meeting held between Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

The Syrian foreign minister said the summit meeting between the two presidents is a new positive step in relations between Syria and Egypt on all levels. He added that the current situation needs an improvement, as the current times are decisive regarding the history of the region and the Middle East peace process at a time when he said Israel is trying to flee peace obligations and its requirements, stressing that such a state of affairs will not disappear easily.

Al-Shara stated that Syria, Egypt and all Arabs are strong advocate of peace and aspire to a just and comprehensive solution to the Arab Israeli conflict based on UN resolutions and the provisions of the international legitimacy, including the land-for-peace formula.

He said the world's countries back such a solution.

Replying to a question on whether there is a possibility of resuming negotiations on the Syrian track and the future conditions following the proposed Israeli pullback from south Lebanon, the Syrian FM said the Middle East peace process experiences a very critical stage due to Israel, which he said is not yet decisive in its quest for attaining a just and comprehensive peace.

Al-Shara added that, "Israel's total withdrawal from Lebanon to the internationally-recognized borders is supported by Syria, Egypt and all Arabs, but it tries to flee peace obligations."

He asserted that Israel is the only party which obstructs the peace process, saying, "If Israel is serious, we are all so in all situations and cases because peace is a big and important issue needed by the entire region," indicating that the actual outlet for the current unstable situation in the region is the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace.

On whether there are Syrian- American contacts regarding the Syrian track, the Syrian FM said contacts have been incessant though sometimes they were weak and at other times they were active. "We want those contacts to be productive because Syria wants America to play a partial and honest role," al-Shara said.

On Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon and UN peacekeepers, Al-Shara said: "We, in Syria, support all UN resolutions, pertaining to the Arab Israeli conflict." He added, "For us in Syria, we are with the implementation of all resolutions issued by the UN Security Council and the general assembly concerning the Arab- Israeli conflict."

Al-Shara said, "We support the implementation of UN resolution 425, but we do not accept any tricks on implementing this resolutions and using it to pressure or threaten the Lebanese national resistance. This is unacceptable and constitutes a provocation against illegitimate right."

Al-Shara stated, "We do not want the implementation of the UN resolution 425 to be the end in a way that the peace process and other UN resolutions are ignored."

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian - Syrian summit   (5/8/2000)
  Final statement of tripartite agreement stresses agreement on various debated issues   (5/5/2000)
  Tripartite meeting discusses ME peace, withdrawal from south Lebanon   (5/4/2000)

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