Al-Shara, Annan discuss ME developments
Syria-Regional, Politics, 6/14/2001

The Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara on Wednesday received the UN secretary General Kofi Annan and members of the accompanying delegation.

Present at the meeting were the deputy foreign minister Walid Mu'allim, and the director of international organizations department Khalil Abu Hadid at the foreign ministry.

Talks during the meeting dealt with conditions in the region and al-Shara underlined "the importance of the role played by the UN in putting an end to the policies of threats and aggressions practiced by Israel against the unarmed people in the occupied Palestinian territories."

The foreign minister stressed the need that the international community and the arrangements which guarantee Israel's commitment to the UN resolutions pertinent to the Arab- Israeli conflict and the question of Palestine.

In a statement to the press, Annan described his talks with al-Shara as positive and constructive and that the talks covered the situation in the occupied Arab territories and the situation in Iraq under the UN sanctions imposed on it as well as several issues of concerned to Syria and the UN, besides Syria's joining the UN Security Council during the coming elections.

Annan added that he held in Cairo on Tuesday talks with the Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak that dealt with the deteriorated conditions in the region.

During the talks which was attended by the Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher, the two sides reviewed the efforts to prevent more deterioration in the region and to force Israel to abide by international legitimacy resolutions provide for Israel's withdrawal from all occupied Arab territories in Jerusalem, the Golan and the occupied palestinian territories up to June, 1967.

Following his meeting with President Mubarak, the UN chief underlined the importance of exerted international efforts in order to reach a peaceful settlement for the Middle east crisis according to international legitimacy resolutions especially UN resolution 242 and 338 and the land for peace formula.

He added he will make a tour to Syria and Lebanon within the framework of his current tour on the region.

On the other hand, the Saudi crown prince Abdullah on Tuesday evening received a telephone call from Annan. The Saudi news agency said that the telephone call dealt with several international issues especially with the developments of conditions in the Middle east.

Annan's telephone call with the Saudi crown prince came after he had canceled his visit to Saudi Arabia because of the Saudi crown prince presence in Morocco in a private visit to Casablanca.

It is scheduled that Annan will today ( Thursday ) arrive in Jordan where he will hold talks with the Jordanian officials centering on the developments of political events in the region, especially the events in the Palestinian territories and the efforts exerted to contain them and to avail for the resumption of the palestinian- israeli negotiations.

The Jordanian sources also said that Annan's talks will deal with the Iraqi question and Jordan's relations with the UN.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad congratulates Khatami, discusses with Moussa revitalizing AL work   (6/11/2001)
  Al-Shara makes consultations with Moussa   (6/8/2001)
  Al-Shara back home from OIC meeting   (5/28/2001)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search