Syrian FM: Mottaki - Assad meeting constructive

Syria's Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem said the meeting between President Bashar al-Assad and Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki in Syria was constructive and fruitful.

Speaking in a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart, he said Mottaki conveyed President Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad's message to his Syrian counterpart.

Mottaki also informed President Assad of the outcomes of the recent visit to Tehran of Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan and discussed with him the current development in the region, including those of Iraq and the situation at its northern borders with Turkey, he added.

In his talks with President Assad, the Iranian minister stressed that Tehran "fights terrorism anywhere." "Tehran condemns using northern territories of Iraq" by terrorists against the war-torn country's neighboring states, Mottaki said in his meeting with the Syrian president.

Developments in Palestine and Lebanon also covered Mottaki's talks with Assad, the Syrian minister said.

Diplomatic efforts in line with preparations of the meeting of Iraqi neighbors in Istanbul were also reviewed by President al-Assad and Mottaki. The two sides underscored the need for maintaining the Palestinians solidarity. Referring to Lebanese developments, the two officials emphasized that the country's president should be elected through all-out consensus of all Lebanese groups.

Mouallem said the two countries share common views and denied rumors concerning differences between the two countries on approaches to settle Lebanese crisis.