Al-Assad confers with Solana, Syrian patriarchs
Syria-European Union, Politics, 5/22/2001

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday in Damascus's al-Shaab palace received the European Union's foreign policy and Security Council chairman Javier Solana and members of the accompanying delegation.

The meeting was attended by the foreign minister Farouk al- Shara. Talks dealt with the conditions in the occupied Arab territories and the practices of genocide conducted by Israel against the Palestinians.

The president stressed the importance of the ME peace progress in terms of maintaining clear- cut criteria according to provisions of the International legitimacy resolutions and the Madrid's terms of reference with a view to achieving a just and comprehensive peace.

AL-Assad also noted the effective role of the EU has to play in the peace process.

An agreement was concluded on continuing contacts between Syria and the EU.

In a statement to SANA following his meeting with President al-Assad, Solana described the talks as very positive and constructive.

He said that his talks with President al-Assad covered the situation in the region and relations between the EU and Syria.

He added:" I am very pleased and wish to go back to Damascus to complete my talks."

He continued:" We, in the European Union, are trying our best to stop the cycle of violence and to create the conditions that allow the resumption of constructive negotiations." Solana, who is on a Middle East tour of five countries and the Palestinian territories, added that he had:" good and productive" talks with President al-Assad, which also covered negotiations on an association agreement between Syria and the EU.

"I had a very good meeting with the President.. I think I have a very good picture about the thinking of Syria about the situation in the region."

It was also on Monday, the president received at the Damascus al-Shaab Palace Patriarch of Antoich and All the East for the Greek Orthodox, Patriarch Zakka Iwaz I, the patriarch of Antoich and all the east for Syrian Orthodox, Higher President of the Syriac Church in the World, Patriarch Isador Bateikha, the deputy patriarch for the Greek- Catholics.

The patriarchs expressed their "high appreciation for the President's wise leadership, his national attitudes and his efforts for activating Arab solidarity in confrontation of the current challenges."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad discusses with Prodi the EU role   (5/4/2001)
  Al-Shara discusses with Notomb ME developments   (2/19/2001)
  Prodi: We expect to finalize the Association Agreement this summer   (2/13/2001)

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