On President al-Assad's today visit to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia-Syria, Politics, 10/17/2000

The Saudi daily al-Watan has described the visit made by President Bashar al-Assad to Saudi Arabia today as a crowning and continuity of the strategic relations between the two states in the framework of what is called the " three principles which form the element of inter- Arab balance since ten years during which there were no Arab summits and an urgent need has emerged to establish a balance that brings all the Arabs together."

In an analysis written from Damascus by Imad Shueibi ( a professor at Damascus university) and published on Monday, the paper added that at the official level Syria gives great interest to the nature of relations set by the late President Hafez al-Assad and the late King Faisal Bin Abdul Aziz. Relations which had proceeded through complex Arab, regional and international conditions and its firmness and priorities were not affected by the common Arab work.

The paper said that President Bashar al-Assad's choosing Saudi Arabia as a second country he visits since he assumed the Presidency after his father, reveals that he wants to send signals that Saudi Arabia will be always the ground on which the Syrian policy is based in the coming phase. The paper added that besides the remarkable political relations between the two states there is an inclination to foster bilateral economic relations, manifested in a trade and economic agreement signed between the two states in 1972 which permits freely the imports and exports products of local origin from one country to another and exempting agricultural products, livestock and natural resources from customs fees.

The paper added that the last meeting for the Syrian- Saudi higher joint committee was held on February 15 and 16, this year after an absence of two years from the last meeting.

The paper expected that the visit of President Bashar al-Assad to Saudi Arabia will result in reviving this committee which discusses political coordination, economic, trade and investment cooperation and eliminating obstacles before the flow of commodity and services between the two states and establishing joint companies between Syrian and Saudi businessmen.

Previous Stories:
  On President al-Assad's visit to Saudi Arabia   (10/9/2000)
  Syrian - Saudi relations   (9/25/2000)
  Prince of al-Riyadh in Damascus   (9/21/2000)

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