Al-Shara confers with Swedish FM on Middle East peace

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara on Wednesday evening received Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Lindh.

Present at the meeting were the two deputy foreign ministers, Siba Nasser and Muhammad Ali al-Hamwi, while the Swedish side was attended by the political advisor to the foreign minister and the Swedish ambassador in Damascus.

Talks during the meeting dealt with Syria's assessment of the Middle East peace process following the Geneva Summit between Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and US President Bill Clinton and Syria's attitude towards revitalizing the European role in giving the Middle East peace process a push forward.

Bilateral relations between Syria and Sweden were reviewed.

Lindh has expressed her hope of reaching successful negotiations on the Syrian track before next summer.

Following her meeting on Wednesday in Beirut with Lebanese President Emile Lahoud, she added, "Time is very important and critical to reach a progress in the peace process," stressing her country's adherence to UN Security Council resolution 425 and stressing that Israel's occupation of south Lebanon and the western Bekaa is illegitimate.

She stressed the importance of Israel's withdrawal from south Lebanon, noting that it is positive to have this withdrawal coupled with negotiations between all sides concerned.