Al-Assad returned back home concluding visits to Morocco, Tunisia
Tunisia-Syria, Politics, 4/14/2001

President Bashar al-Assad and his wife on Thursday evening returned back home concluding visits to Tunisia and Morocco.

Also returned back with the President were the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara and members of the accompanying delegation.

During the visit to Tunisian, the Syrian President held talks with President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali. Talks dealt with bilateral relations between Syria and Tunisia and prospects of strengthening them. The two Presidents expressed satisfaction with the development of these relations, confirming mutual desire to develop them further.

Talks also dealt with Arab conditions and the future of the joint Arab action in light of the regional developments and results of the recent Arab summit. The two presidents also reviewed international developments.

Earlier in the day, President al-Assad paid a visit to the Martyr Memorial in the Sijoumi area in Tunis, where he laid a wreath and recited some verses from the Holy Koran. He was accompanied by the Tunisian minister of defense to that visit.

At the Tunis airport, President al-Assad and his companions were seen off by President Bin Ali, his wife and high ranking Tunisian officials.

During his visit to Tunisia, President Bashar al-Assad made a speech reciprocating the welcome address made by the Mayor of Tunisia during the President ' s Thursday visit to the Tunis Municipality. He said:" I greet the citizens of this beautiful city and all the Arab people of Tunisia, extending the greetings of all Syrians whose sublime objective is to unite Arab ranks and work for the welfare and dignity of the entire Arab nation.

" There have been consolidated and historic ties between Bilad Esh Sham and Tunisia where an outstanding civilization flourished through ages and mixed with Bilad Esh- Sham civilization and both ones contributed a great deal to the development of civilization in the Mediterranean basin." President Bashar al-Assad continued as saying that " Islam came to enhance inter- Arab ties and to establish a strong state which extended to North Africa, Andalusia and greater parts of Asia." " The sublime faith was able to unite the Muslims and the Arabs and to make them a nation advocating rights and manners, confronting evils and working for all mankind."

" Unity is a strength and when unity is consolidated, the Arabs become powerful and can overcome all forms of difficulties and confront challenges while disunity leads to weakness and humiliation. We, in this context, may recall the fact that prominent Arab sociologist Ibn Khaldoun's trip from Tunis to Damascus was during a hard time the nation experienced due to some dismemberment between the Arabs and the Muslims."

" We are today in dire need for unity, manliness and faithfulness with a view to confronting the imminent danger represented by Israel and its racist and expansionist ambitions in the Arab homeland. This very danger still plants poisons in the body of the steadfast and heroic Palestinian people and targets all Arabs, who have according to the teachings of the Holy Koran. to confront this danger and repel it." " Tunisia is cherished by all Syrians, and we are in co-operation with President Zein al-Abidin Bin Ali, keen to enhance bilateral relations and achieving common objectives with neither fear nor intimidation.

Earlier, the Mayor, Abbas Mohsen, welcomed President Bashar as a special and noble guest to Tunisia, stressing it has strong ties of distinguished friendship and co-operation with sisterly Syria. The visit of the President al-Assad, Abbas added, is an expression of solid ties with the Tunisian leader and constitutes a distinguished event in maintaining deep and cohesive relations between the two brotherly countries.

Previous Stories:
  Bin Ali, al-Assad hold talks on Arab issues   (4/12/2001)
  Syria and Tunisia: joint care for maintaining remarkable relations   (4/11/2001)
  Miro starts tomorrow a visit to Tunisia, Libya   (1/20/2001)

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