Al-Assad confers with Solana
Syria-European Union, Politics, 5/16/2003

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received on Thursday the High Representative for European Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the situation in the Middle East after the war on Iraq and the necessity of reviving the role of the United Nations, European Union and Iraq's neighboring states for the interest of Iraq's people.

Solana stressed "the important role of Syria pointing out Syria's logical stance towards issues of the region and realizing peace process."

For his part, President Al-Assad stressed the necessity of putting an end to the Iraqi people suffering.

Solana stressed that the European Union aims at achievement just and comprehensive peace on all tracks and restoration of all the occupied Arab territories including the Golan Heights.

Solana also reviewed with Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara the latest developments in the region, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories, developments in Iraq as well as the relations between Syria and the European Union.

Al-Shara stressed that Syria was and is still supporting any international true effort for realizing just and comprehensive peace in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions, international legitimacy and "land for peace" formula. ''Just and comprehensive peace is the only guarantee for realizing stability, security and prosperity for all peoples of the region,'' he asserted.

He said that return of the occupied territories in accordance with the international resolutions must be the first question in any peaceful settlement in the region pointing out to European Union's important role in this regard.

Concerning Iraq, al-Shara underlined the importance of maintaining Iraq's unity, independence, and territorial integrity and ensuring circumstances which enable the Iraqi people to manage their affairs through choosing their own government by themselves.

Al-Shara and Solana expressed the joint desire for developing the standing relations between Syria and the European Union in all fields and to signing partnership agreement between Syria and the European Union.

Solana, during a statement to reporters described his meeting and talks with President Al-Assad as very fruitful. He clarified that he officially handed al-Shara the Road Map and said that meetings with al-Shara will continue during the forthcoming days for talks on the Arab-European relations and means of boosting them.

Solana asserted that "Syria is a major and very important partner and our relations with her are good.'' For his part al-Shara said that "All ingredients of peace process are there if Israel is serious about peace."

Previous Stories:
  Al-Shara hold telephone talks with Papandreou, Palacio   (5/6/2003)
  EU, Syria for building security in the region   (4/17/2003)
  Al-Shara confers with Moratinos   (4/11/2003)

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