Al-Assad concludes fruitful two-day visit to Moscow
Syria-Russia, Politics, 7/7/1999

Syrian President Hafez al-Assad arrived in Damascus on Tuesday night from Moscow, concluding an official visit to Russia made at the invitation of Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

Al-Assad during the visit held talks with Yeltsin, Russian Prime Minister Sergey Stepashin, Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov, Interior Minister Vladimir Rushaylo and Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev. Talks during these meetings dealt with international and regional developments, conditions in the Middle East and bilateral relations between Syria and Russia.

The spokesman for the Syrian delegation said that President al-Assad's visit to Moscow has fully achieved its goals in cementing Syrian - Russian relations and boosting cooperation between the two friendly countries in all areas.

Earlier in the day and at a luncheon banquet held in honor of President al-Assad by President Yeltsin, the two presidents exchanged friendly speeches in which President al-Assad said: "I thank President Boris Yeltsin's friendly and warm welcoming speech. I also thank the Russian authorities for the warm welcome we received since we arrived. We came to your capital full of confidence that our visit will result in strengthening relations between Syria and Russia for the mutual benefits of our two peoples. Previous years have proved that cooperation is in the interest of the two peoples and peace in the Arab region and the world. In its capacity as one of the Middle East peace process cosponsors, the Republic of Federal Russia can play an important role in the honest efforts to achieve a just and comprehensive peace. Syria, which asserted the importance of the role played by Russia in this respect, welcomes the process of strengthening it and taking its full dimensions. I convey to you and to the people of Russia the greetings of the Syrian people who remember with great appreciation your country's stances in supporting our just causes and the struggle of our people for liberating our occupied lands and the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace."

Earlier, President Yeltsin made a welcoming speech in which he said addressing President al-Assad: "I welcome you as a great friend and politician in Syria and the Arab world as a whole. Your visit is a landmark in that it is the first visit by a Syrian President to the Federal Republic of Russia. This year marks the 55th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations between our two countries. The Arab proverb says: Choose your friend before the road and the neighbor before the house. Long years of friendship and cooperation have proven, as you said, that our two peoples have made the correct choice. I am confident that your visit will give a big impetus to the Russian -Syrian relations and raise the level of these relations to the better."

Later in the day, President Hafez al-Assad and President Boris Yeltsin held two rounds of talks at the Kremlin palace in Moscow. The first one was a closed-door meeting and the second was a plenary meeting attended by members of the two negotiating sides.

The press spokesman for the Syrian delegation said discussions in the two meetings dealt with bilateral relations, practical means to develop them in various areas, international conditions and developments, the situation in the Balkans and the role played by the UN in the international arena. The spokesman added that talks also dealt with the situation in the region, the Middle East peace process and chances to resume peace talks. Views were identical on resuming these talks from the point at which they broke off.

In the afternoon on Tuesday President al-Assad received at his residence Russian Defense Minister Igor Sergyev. Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa attended the meeting. Talks dealt with development in the region, international conditions and cooperation relations between Syria and Federal Russia.

The President also met with the Russian Prime Minister Sergey Stepashin. Talks dealt with the outcome of negotiations the president held in Moscow, and measures bilaterally agreed upon to implement what the two friendly countries intend to do in boosting bilateral ties.

Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told reporters that talks between President al-Assad and President Yeltsin held on Tuesday covered all forms of ties characterized with time-honored friendship and cooperation.

The Russian premier added that talks also dealt with the situation in the Middle East, the peace process and ways of resuming it. He continued that both sides underlined the importance of resuming peace negotiations from the point at which the peace process broke off.

Previous Stories:
  Russian sources and al-Assad's visit to Moscow   (7/6/1999)
  Al-Assad to hold official talks with Yeltsin today   (7/6/1999)
  On President al-Assad's visit to Moscow   (7/5/1999)

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