Al-Shara refutes Barak's claims in Lisbon
Syria-Israel-Portugal, Politics, 5/26/2000

The Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara on Thursday in Lisbon met with Belgian foreign minister. Present at the meeting were the deputy foreign minister Mrs. Siba Nasser and the chairman of the Syrian mission in Brussels Hani Habib and the Belgian side was attended by the political director general at the foreign ministry.

Talks dealt with the situation in South Lebanon and the future of the peace process.

Meantime, the foreign minister refuted claims made by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak in a message he had sent to the UN Secretary General and al-Shara indicated Israel's failure to face the " Bitter reality" in Lebanon" had promoted Barak to accuse Syria in that it wants to intensify the atmospheres.

Al-Shara added that Syria made everything possible to ease down conditions in South Lebanon and in the region in general. He added that Israel is the one who escaped the ME peace process and the implementation of UN resolutions 242 and 338.

The foreign minister added that Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon is a real victory for Lebanon, to the Lebanese national resistance and to the Arab states.

He stressed that Israel has failed to pressure Syria and in underestimating Lebanon.

Replying to a question on the recent statements made by US Vice President Al Gore on Syria's attitude toward peace, al-Shara said " hostile media always fabricate accusations against Syria. It is regrettable that " certain people" are carrying out aligned and biased roles. However, we refuse these threats and accusations which are in contradiction to reality and to Syria's attitude," noting that President Hafez al-Assad had opened the door for launching the ME peace process in Madrid.

Al-Shara stressed that the occupied Arab territories will be returning back to their owner sooner or later.

Earlier in the day, al-Shara arrived in Portugal to preside over the Syrian delegation to the meetings of the conference for the foreign ministers of the Euro-Mediterranean states held in Lisbon on May 25 and 26.

Al-Shara was due to have met on Thursday with the European Troika which is composed of Portugal foreign minister Jaime Gama, the current President for the EU, the French foreign minister Hubert Verdrine, the secretary general of the EU council Javier Solana and the EU commissioner for foreign relations Christopher Patten.

Al-Shara also met with the Egyptian foreign minister Amr Moussa.

However, the conference will be attended by 15 foreign ministers representing the EU member states and other 10 foreign ministers representing Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Libyan, Tunisia, Algerian, Mauritania, Morocco and Palestine.

Previous Stories:
  Solidarity sit-in today in Damascus with the Syrians in Israeli jails   (5/25/2000)
  Polish president to visit Israel   (5/25/2000)
  Al-Shara stresses to Albright Syrian backing to UN efforts   (5/24/2000)

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