Al-Assad receives Belgian FM, US medical team
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday at the Damascus al-Shaab palace received the Belgium foreign minister and deputy premier Lewis Michael and members of the accompanying delegation.
During the meeting which was attended by the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara, "talks dealt with the current critical situation in the region, due to Israel's policy and its incessant acts of aggression."
The Syrian President said "the failure of methods adopted to achieve peace has led to the launching of the Palestinian Intifada ( uprising) which is an expression of the feeling of the public in the Arab region in general."
The Syrian President also said the Arabs and the Europeans states have common interest in stability and the achievement of peace in the region. He called for increasing the efficiency of a European role in working for peace, and for abiding by resolutions of the international legitimacy and the Madrid's terms of reference.
The Belgian Foreign minister concentrated on the importance of Syria's role and stances and on co-operation between her and the European Union.
Michael extended an invitation to President Bashar for a visit to Belgium. The President accepted the invitation and promised to pay the visit at a proper time, conveying greetings to the King of Belgium and to its government.
Earlier in the day, the President received the delegation of the Syrian- American medical Association SAMA led by the chairman of the association Mazen Saleh Dawoud.
Talks dealt with cooperation ties between the Syrian expatriates, who have different scientific specialization and their homeland. Talks also dealt with the role played by the expatriates in fostering relations between the countries where they live and their motherland, Syria.
The latest developments in the region and Israel's aggressive policy in the occupied Arab lands were the topics discussed during the foreign minister al- Shara ' meeting with the Belgian Deputy prime minister and foreign minister Michael.
The foreign minister stressed the need of an effective European role in regional issues, particularly in light of Belgium's forthcoming presidency of the European Union.
The Belgium foreign minister expressed his country's interest in consolidating relations between Syria and Europe when Belgium becomes the president of the EU in the middle of this year.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign minister Walid al- Muaalem, the director of the Western Europe department at the foreign ministry and the Belgium ambassador in Damascus.
