Syrian expatriates minister lectures at Michigan university
Syria-USA, Politics, 12/20/2003

Minister of Expatriates Butheina Shaaban stressed on Friday that Ending Israeli occupation of the Arab lands and American occupation of Iraq are the only way to get the Middle East out of the spiral of violence and killings.

Shaaban, in a lecture delivered at Michigan University as part of her visit to the U.S. and meetings with the Arab and Syrian communities there, said Israel's Ariel Sharon policy in building the so-called "security fence" in the West Bank, along with the expansion of settlement, and forcible deportation of Palestinians, have pushed the region to the edge of explosion.

She stressed that Syria was and still works for just and comprehensive peace in the region. The Minister said the crisis in the Syrian-American relations is due to Israel, and to the American silence over Sharon's continued violations of Geneva Convention and the UN resolutions. She also criticized the American media for the black out imposed on what is going in the Middle East.

The Minister reiterated Syria's readiness to play a vital role in the peace process, provided the peace process is resumed from the point it stopped at, and on the basis of "Madrid's term of reference" and the relevant UN resolutions.

She said there is some weakness in the social and humanitarian communication between the Syrian and American peoples, calling for boosting this communication in a way that opens the way to dialogue and exchange of views, so that facts could be seen well away from misleading propaganda of the American media.

Previous Stories:
  Expatriates minister continues meetings in New jersey   (12/19/2003)
  al-Sharq al-Awsat: Syrian Information minister denied differences between Syrian, American peoples   (12/16/2003)
  Syrian Expatriates minister continues tour in the US   (12/12/2003)

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

Search