Message from al-Assad to Austrian President
Syria-Austria, Politics, 3/14/2002

The Syrian Deputy Premier and foreign minister Farouk al-Shara on Wednesday in Austria met with the Austrian President Thomas Klistel and conveyed to him a message from President Bashar al-Assad "on the situation in the region and the grave Israeli practices against the unarmed Palestinian people."

The Austrian president noted the feeling he still has after his visit to Syria and meeting with President Bashar al-Assad and Austria's declared stances in its continued support to the Arab rights despite pressures made on Austria in this regard. He stressed the need that the European Union has to play an effective and independent role in the Middle East region for the welfare of the region and the need to establish just and comprehensive peace in it.

At the end of the meeting, the Austrian President asked al-Shara to convey a reply message to President al-Assad and an invitation to President al-Assad to visit Austria in a due time.

The foreign minister on Wednesday morning held a meeting with his Austrian counterpart in Vienna, during which talks dealt with "the deteriorated conditions in the Palestinian territories and the bloody Israeli practices against the unarmed Palestinian people."

Al-Shara highly appreciated Austria's stances towards the Middle East. He explained "the grave and inhuman acts committed by Israel and stressed that the Palestinian resistance confronts the Israeli army on its occupied territories. A thing which is the simplest means for self-defense and therefore the Palestinians should not be asked to stop violence while they are vulnerable to all forms of Israeli violence, killing and destruction."

The Syrian foreign minister also noted the role played by the European Union to halting the Israeli aggression and reviving the Middle East peace process.

Talks also dealt with bilateral relations between Syria and Austria and means of developing and strengthening them in all fields.

The meeting was attended by members of the Syrian delegation accompanying al-Shara and Safwan Ghanem the Syrian ambassador to Austria.

Al-Shara expressed his hope that discussions of the Saudi initiative on ME peace will result in reaching a united Arab position to the summit of the Arab League to be held in Beirut by the end of this month, March.

Al-Shara also strongly criticized "the Israeli ugly practices inside the areas of the Palestinian self-rule, and not inside Israel itself." He commented that "it is a mistake what Israel claims that what it is doing is in self defense."

The minister also expressed his confidence that the conference of the AL summit which will be held in Beirut will conclude a united Arab position, hoping that the Arab initiative will receive a support by the European Union and the European Continent.

The Austrian minister approved al-Shara statements and said that in case the Arab summit will conclude a united Arab stand, the European Union, will then, should support this initiative. She appreciating sending dispatching the US special envoy to the Middle East Anthony Zinni to the area of the crisis and that will be considered one of the element seeking to finding out a peaceful solution.

Al-Shara called for finding out a peaceful solution and for halting the acts of violence and reviving the ME peace process. He denounced those "accusing the Palestinians of terrorism, because the brutal aggression by the Israelis in the region is not launched by two armies. The Palestinians own only few number of guns while the Israeli army is equipped with high tech weapons. Besides thousands of Palestinians were killed or wounded during the few months by the Israelis."

Al-Shara warned against "a new military escalation in the region in case the current Israeli carnage will not be stopped and that in case peace is not reached and killing of Palestinians continue we have to expect unlimited number of youths to seek various way to martyrdom."

Replying to a question on the Palestinian youths who carry out the "suicide" operations which result in killing the Israeli civilians, al-Shara said, when the Palestinians try to defend themselves no body can limit them especially as Israel did not put a limit for its attacks. He recalled that the Israeli settlers are equipped with military means like any Israeli soldiers but they do not wear the military uniform.

On his meeting with the higher representative for the foreign affairs and defense for the European Union Javier Solana, al-Shara said that the Europeans have realized dangers which will be inflected from the escalations of the acts of violence in the region. He expressed Syria's hope that the European Union will maintain an economic and political pressure on Israel.

The Austrian minister expressed, following the work talks with al-Shara, her deep concern over the new waves of acts of violence taking place in Israel and the Palestinian territories which resulted in killing or wounding many victims. She demanded officials on both sides to use all means in order to put an end to the acts of violence very soon and to return back to serious negotiations to cease fire. She added that the announcement of sides concerned their readiness to hold talks should be followed by concrete actions especially as grave conditions have reached their peak. The Austrian minister indicated that the European Union will hold consultations on the current conditions in the Middle East during the conference of the European Union due to be held in Barcelona in Spain by the end of the current week.

Al-Shara also held similar talks with the speaker of the Austrian parliament Hans Fischer.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Shara discusses in Austria for strengthening bilateral relations   (3/13/2002)
  Al-Shara confers with the Austrian defense minister   (12/7/2001)
  Al-Shara discusses with Austrian official Afghani crises, ME peace   (11/21/2001)

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