Al-Assad meets with Kharazi
Syria-Iran, Politics, 1/5/2004

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad received on Saturday Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi and an accompanying delegation.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the latest developments in the region particularly the situation in Iraq and in the occupied Palestinian territories, and touched upon the Syrian initiative submitted to UN Security Council to make the Middle East an area free of mass destruction weapons.

Both sides underlined the importance of consultation and coordination between the two countries regarding the raised issues. The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and the Iranian ambassador in Damascus.

Meantime, Iranian Foreign Minister expressed appreciation to Syria's initiative submitted to the UN Security Council which calls for a Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.

In a statement to the press following his meeting with President Bashar al-Assad, Kharazi called for practicing international pressure on Israel to oblige it to eliminate its nuclear arsenal.

"The meeting with President al-Assad comes in the frame work of the continuous consultation between Syria and Iran regarding developments in the region," Kharazi said adding "the meeting dealt with the situation in Iraq, in the occupied Palestinian territories and with the issue of freeing the region from WMD." "What happens in Iraq and Palestine has a direct impact on the countries of the region," said Kharrazi, pointing out that any development taking place in the region, affect the countries of the region as a whole.

Regarding Iraq, Kharazi pointed out that our duty is to extend aid to the Iraqi people, to restore their sovereignty, and to exercise their self-determination, stressing the necessity for evacuation of the occupation troops from Iraq.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Asefi described Iranian Foreign Minister's recent visit to Syria and his talks with President Assad and Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara as successful and positive.

In a press conference Sunday, Asefi underlined that the visit comes within the framework of the mutual coordination between the two countries, asserting that viewpoints were identical regarding the raised issues.

He described relations with Syria as strong and based on cooperation and coordination, pointing out that the two sides discussed ways of continuing cooperation in the bilateral, regional and international fields.

He also underlined that Iraq passes through dangerous and critical circumstances represented by transferring the authority to the Iraqis and formation of the constitution, stressing the necessity for dialogue and consultation between Iraq and the neighboring states in this regard.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian parliamentary delegation in Iran   (12/9/2003)
  Mirdamadi press conference in Damascus   (10/28/2003)
  Syrian-Iranian friendship society   (10/28/2003)

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