Shaaban press conference on developments
Syria-USA, Politics, 8/16/2003

Sirector of the foreign media department at the Syrian foreign ministry, Butheina Shaaban has indicated that President Bashar al-Assad reiterated during his meeting with US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Joseph Burns Syria's firm stances regarding all the Arab issues.

During a press conference she held on Thursday in Damascus, Shaaban stressed that Burns' visit was not the first but came in the framework of continuation of visits and dialogue between the two sides.

She added that discussion was focused on issues of mutual concern particularly the situation in South Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and the roadmap.

She pointed out that there were undoubtedly identical view points regarding some issues and other view points were different regarding other issues but each side respected the view point of the other and so the discussion was constructive and reflected what Syria has for years advocated that there will be no solution other than just and comprehensive peace.

Regarding Syria's stance of Iraq, Shaaban underlined that "Syria's position is clearÉSyria supports the unity,f reedom and independence of the Iraqi people and stands against the occupation of any Arab land and all forms of partial solutions."

On the recent statements of US.Secretary of State Colin Powell, Shaaban indicated that Syria found positive things in these statements and represented by the notion that Syria and Lebanon have always been in US. President George W. Bush vision for the overall solution in the Middle East which is exactly what Syria has called for.

She added that Syria differs with the other part of the statement and that is natural.

With regard to the Palestinians in Syria, Shaaban underlined that they are part of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian problem which needs a real just and comprehensive solution but the problem lies in the "Sharon's policy that depends on slaughtering the Palestinians and demolishing their homes."

She quoted an Israeli security source as saying that "the slaughtering of Palestinians will not be useful."

"What Sharon has done since the publication of the roadmap other than killing the Palestinians and demolishing their homes," she wondered. "And he even said more than once that he would not give anything to the Palestinians," she pointed out.

Regarding Hizbullah in Lebanon, she indicated that President Bashar al-Assad stressed that Hizbullah has been resorting to calm for the past seven months in spite of thousands of Israeli violations of the Lebanese territorial space and land and the recent escalation was because Israel has moved the assassination policy from the Palestinian territories to Lebanon.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad confers with Burns on ME developments   (8/15/2003)
  Burns in Damascus   (8/14/2003)
  Ma'ariv: Powell warns Damascus from isolation   (8/2/2003)

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