Syria and Turkey voice desire to push ties forward
Syria-Turkey, Politics, 4/14/2005

Syria and Turkey expressed on Wednesday genuine desire to push bilateral relations forward and showed identical view points over latest developments in the Middle East.

President Bashar al-Assad said in a statement after three meetings with his Turkish counterpart Ahmed Necdet Sezer talks were " comprehensive, positive and fruitful. Noting they took place in a "cordial atmosphere" and asserting the "depth and strength of standing ties between Syria and Turkey." " When we reviewed bilateral relations, we saw they had passed a long way of progress particularly in recent years due to the strong political will in the two countries and the genuine desire of the two peoples," President al-Assad said.

He noted there was a review of the whole situation in our region and noted to exiting tension there and risks encircling its security and stability and hindering its growth and prosperity.

"There are an identical view points between our two countries over the importance of consolidating Iraq's sovereignty and keeping its unity as a land and people. We called with interest on carrying on the political process in a way that guarantees the the wider possible participation that meets legitimate aspirations of the Iraqi people ... far away from any foreign interference," al-Assad said on Iraq.

On the situation in the occupied Arab territories, President al-Assad said we agreed on the necessity of solving the problem in accordance with the UN Security Council resolutions and as to guarantee the full Israeli withdrawal from the occupied Arab territories in 1967 and enabling the Palestinian people to build his independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

" In this respect, we express our high appreciation of Turkey's efforts and regard with respect Turkey's constructive role to achieve the just and comprehensive peace in the region," the president noted.

Over Lebanon, President al-Assad said we reviewed the situation in Lebanon and Syria clarified her position over what happened and is happening in the Lebanese arena and we both "expressed strong keenness on Lebanon's security and stability and his national unity." President al-Assad pointed out that an objective reading of the region's history in the past and what is taking place now underlines the special importance of the Turkish-Syrian relations that are making their positive fingerprints not only on the stability of bilateral ties between the two countries, but also on the region and its peoples stability in general.

For his part, Turkish President Sezer said in a similar statement the two sides showed their desire in bilateral cooperation between them noting his talks with President al-Assad were "comprehensive, useful and positive." Sezer agreed there were identical view points over the need of developing cooperation in all fields saying his talks with President al-Assad "have dealt with economic, political, trade and cultural topics and included special developments on situation in Iraq, the Palestinian cause and the status in the region." The Turkish president welcomed Syria's pullout from Lebanon.

Regarding Iraq, he said there were a "view point compatability" over keeping Iraq's national unity and its territorial integrity as well as backing international efforts to reconstruct it and pledged that the two countries would work as to implement these aims regionally.

Sezer said there was "shared view point" on the significance of achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region hoping his visit would contribute in cementing bilateral ties.

Previous Stories:
  Turkish figures and president Sezer's visit to syria   (4/13/2005)
  Sezer's visit to Syria to boost relations   (4/12/2005)
  Sezer's forthcoming visit to Syria highlighted   (4/11/2005)

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