Colombian President highlights relations, cooperation with Syria
Syria-Colombia, Politics, 10/15/1998

Colombian President Andreas Pastrana on Tuesday night received Syrian assistant secretary general of the ruling Baath party Abdullah al-Ahmar, who is also chairman of the Arab national expatriates committee.

The Colombian president expressed his feelings towards this "beautiful country Syria", which he visited once and "is looking forward to visiting it again."

He stressed the friendship between the two peoples and countries and the solid bilateral ties which are based on common ground in the Non-Aligned Movement and in the two countries's struggle for progress and development.

The Colombian president asserted his personal interest and the interest of his people and government in strengthening relations and developing multi-faceted cooperation between Syria and Colombia.

Al-Ahmar noted the consequences of the "Turkish - Israeli aggressive alliance and the regrettable and unjustified pressures and threats launched by the Turkish government against Syria." These threats, he added, aim at undermining Syria's commitment to achieving just and comprehensive peace and increasing tension in the region.

He said the "grave conditions in the Middle East region require a decisive international position that provides for condemning the policies of threats, pressure and aggressive military threats towards reviving the Middle East peace process and giving it a push forward to achieve its objectives in establishing a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

The Syrian Baath party's assistant secretary asserted that, "Syria seeks to open dialogue with Turkey and to abide by the policy of good neighborhood and cooperative actions in order to alleviate tension."

He added that, "Syria will not bargain an inch of its principled stand concerning the Middle East peace process."

At the end of the meeting the Colombian President stressed that his country which is linked to multifaceted traditional ties and fruitful cooperation with the Non-Aligned Movement and at the UN, will exert intensive efforts in the context of the NAM to alleviate tension in the region and condemn the policy of threats.

"Our Syrian friends can rely on our friendship and mutual understanding at all times." He indicated his country's interests in the grave developments in the Middle East region.

Meanwhile, al-Ahmar, on Wednesday in Bogota, Colombia met with Colombia's Vice President Gustavo Bell.

The two sides exchanged view points on cooperation and developments on their two countries and regions and activities of each of the two said parties within the context of these developments.

Al-Ahmar arrived in Colombia from Venezuela where he took part in the 12th Fe-Arab conference.

Previous Stories:
  Ankara admits: Damascus closed Kurdistani camps   (10/14/1998)
  Jordan calls for improving relations with Syria   (10/14/1998)
  President al-Assad receives a message from Tunisian counterpart   (10/13/1998)

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