Al-Shara confers with Raban, Moratinos on current ME conditions

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara on Thursday made a telephone call to Lebanese Prime Minister Salim al-Hoss during which he conveyed Syria's welcome to convening the meetings of the ordinary session of the AL council on the level of foreign ministers in Beirut on March 11.

On Thursday al-Shara received Loran Raban, the chairman of the French side at the April Understanding committee, and members of the accompanying delegation.

Present at the meeting were the chairman of the Syrian delegation to the committee, Col. Adnan Balloul, and the French ambassador in Damascus.

The participants in the meeting reviewed the current conditions in Lebanon as a result of the Israeli aggressions against Lebanese civilian installations and Israel's continued violation of the April Understanding and its obstruction of the understanding committee.

Al-Shara expressed his appreciation for the French position in denouncing the Israeli aggressions against Lebanon and France's desire to revive the committee without making any amendments to its provisions.

Al-Shara also received on Thursday the European Union's Middle East peace process coordinator, Miguel Angel Moratinos.

Talks dealt with the development of conditions in the region in light of the recent Israeli aggressions against Lebanon and the following provocative and aggressive statements made by Israel.

Talks also dealt with Syrian-European relations and means of developing them in all fields.