Al-Shara in Iran over the Iraqi issue
Syria-Iran, Politics, 1/20/2003

Iranian President, Mohammad Khatami, received in Tehran yesterday Syria's Foreign Minister, Farouk Al-Shara. He handed Khatami a letter from President Bashar Al-Assad pertaining to the latest developments in the region and bilateral relations between the two countries.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the dangerous situation which the Middle East is witnessing, particularly the continuation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people in the occupied Arab territories. Talks also dealt with the Iraqi crisis in light of the military escalation which the region is witnessing and the necessity of using all peaceful means for averting war and its destructive consequences on the Iraqi people and states of the region.

Shara and Khatami condemned the Israeli brutal practices in the occupied Palestinian territories exploiting the world engagement with the Iraqi crisis.

Khatami conveyed to al-Shara Iran's approval regarding convening a ministerial meeting in Damascus with the participation of Syria, Iran, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministers.

In a statement following the meeting, Shara asserted the fraternal, deep-rooted Syrian-Iranian relations and the continued contacts and consultation regarding issues of the mutual concern.

Regarding the Iraqi crisis, al-Shara pointed out that peace is possible if states of the region, particularly Iraq's neighboring states, have the will, adding that peace is a world demand.

In a similar statement, Kharazi asserted that Iran welcomes any suggestion or meeting to solve the Iraqi crisis in peaceful means. He indicated that success of the ministerial meeting would contribute to strengthening meeting of the Iraq's neighboring states presidents which could follow the ministerial meeting.

Earlier in the morning a session of talks was held between Shara and Kharazi on the regional and international situation and the critical circumstances which the Middle East region is passing through due to escalation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and atmosphere of war.

Both Ministers stressed the UN role in solving the international conflicts through diplomatic ways and the necessity of reaching peaceful solutions for the Iraqi crisis through the implementation of the Security Council resolution 1441. Al-Shara and Kharazi reasserted the importance of the ministerial meeting for studying ways of solving the Iraqi crisis in a peaceful way which would ensure stability and security in the region and keep the Iraqi unity.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian statement on al-Assad's postponed visit to iran   (1/16/2003)
  Al-Assad to head for Tehran next week   (1/10/2003)
  Iranian President confers with Syrian Premier   (12/27/2002)

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

Search