Al-Assad confers with Burns on ME developments
Syria-USA, Politics, 8/15/2003

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received yesterday morning in Damascus US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Joseph Burns and an accompanying delegation.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the situations in South Lebanon, the occupied Palestinian territories, the Iraqi situation and peace process in the Middle East.

Concerning the last escalation on the Lebanese front, the president stressed that it is unavoidable to look at the picture completely, instead of just selectively looking at the events linked to Arab side only. It is unacceptable to disregarde the killing and assassinations acts perpetrated by Israel, whereas, Lebanon is being demanded to be silent and to have self-control.

In what can be seen as an indication of US impotence to force Israel to abide by peace terms, or US collusion with Israel, and referring to the assertion of Burns that US President George W. Bush is determined to move forward in peace process, President al-Assad said that the current events show that Israel's Prime minister Ariel Sharon continues building the "racial separation wall" even though Bush has opposed this matter. He continues building new settlements and demolishing the houses, all of this refers that Sharon has no intention for peace.

Concerning the Palestinian organizations, al-Assad stressed that there are hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in Syria, these organizations represent the aspirations of the legitimate Palestinian rights of liberation and independence.

Syria and these organizations are exerting their efforts to realize just and comprehensive peace, and Sharon is the only man who didn't adopt the peace strategy, but he adopted the strategy of killing and destruction, al-Assad said.

Concerning the Iraqi issue, al-Assad said that "we are against the US occupation to Iraq and we are standing for stability and integrity of Iraq...We want to strengthen the brotherly relations with the Iraqi people after they are represented by an elected legitimate government."

Concerning the transitional ruling council, al-Assad said that Syria is committed to the Arab position of not recognizing the interim Iraqi council because it is not an independent body.

He stressed that Syrian policies vis-a-vis all these issues are stemmed from Syria's keen interest in safeguarding the national and pan- Arab interests.

For his part, Burns voiced his understanding to Syria's policy and his hope that Syria and the United States will be able to work jointly on points on which both sides agree for the best interests of the region. Present at the meeting were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Farouk al - Shara and the US Ambassador to Syria.

Previous Stories:
  Burns in Damascus   (8/14/2003)
  Ma'ariv: Powell warns Damascus from isolation   (8/2/2003)
  American academician and Syria   (7/23/2003)

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