Greek president highlights relations with Syria
Syria-Greece, Politics, 12/17/2003

Greece's President, Konstandinos Stephanopoulos, said both the Syrian and Greek people of the Mediterranean have had good relations for a long time ago, which are seen today as strong and growing, thanks, among other things, to the common circumstances, and to common vision about peace and stability, and other values the entire region has.

During a dinner banquet held in Athens yesterday by the Greek President in honor of Syria's President Bashar al-Assad and his wife, President Stephanopoulos made clear that Greece has always committed itself to the principle of settling any conflict through dialogue based on UN resolutions.

He stressed that all parties must honor UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338, so that the Golan is returned to Syria, asserting the UN role which must be central and essential. ''All-out efforts have to be exerted for strengthening bilateral relations, and to boost them in different domains,'' President Stephanopoulos said.

He thanked Syria for the positive stances she adopts towards issues of interest to Greece and Cyprus in all international organizations, namely the Islamic Conference Organization. He went on to say that solid cooperation between Syria and Greece can back other important initiatives for further cooperation in political, economic, and business fields. He pointed out that his country backs the inalienable Palestinian people's right to setting up an independent and sovereign state that can live peacefully with neighboring states.

"We recognize the right of all peoples in the region to live peacefully in international-recognized borders," the Greek president said, adding that any solution must be comprehensive peace, and aims to develop the region and make its peoples prosperous.

The Greek President pointed out that Greece strongly believes that the Iraqi people are capable, with the help of the UN and international community, of regaining all authority and ruling their country. He indicated that Greece is called to play an important role in the area, and that it hopes to contribute to peace settlement of the existing problems, and establishing peace, stability, development and democracy.

The Greek President asserted that fighting terrorism is an international issue which has not been and should not be a clash between civilizations, religions or peoples. He added that fighting terrorism will not be productive without confronting its reasons and resolving problems which affect international relations, such as the Palestinian issue. He expressed happiness over the visit of President al-Assad and his wife, and over the chance granted to him in reciprocating the hospitality accorded to the Greek President during his visit to Damascus, another great city of an ancient history.

Previous Stories:
  Al-Assad visit Greek parliament: the Mediterranean to be nuclear free zone   (12/16/2003)
  Syrian- Greek presidents joint press conference   (12/16/2003)
  Al-Assad, wife arrive in Greece   (12/15/2003)

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