President Clinton speaks on the telephone with Bashar al-Assad

Bashar al-Assad on Sunday evening received a telephone call from US President Bill Clinton in which the US president expressed warmest commiseration to Bashar and the family of the president and to the Syrian people on the death of the late President Hafez al-Assad.

In his telephone call, President Clinton said "I knew your father for several years. We tried our best efforts to achieve peace in the Middle east and we had several contacts between ourselves." President Clinton added " I always remember President Hafez al-Assad with great admiration and respect."

Clinton also expressed readiness to make any possible effort in memory of the late president and for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle east.

Al-Assad thanked President Clinton for his condolences and warm sympathy and stressed to him that Syria will be always sincere to President Hafez al-Assad's policy for achieving a just and comprehensive peace in the region.