Al-Assad meets with Pope John Paul

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday concluded his visit to Italy by a meeting with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican.

Discussions dealt with conditions in the occupied territories and Israel's oppressive practices against the Palestinians.

Al-Assad and the Pope held a second meeting at the Pope's special office during which they exchanged friendly talks and then the meeting was joined by the official delegation accompanying the President and token awards were exchanged.

Al-Assad then held a round of talks with Cardinal Angelo Sudano, the state secretary at the Vatican and the Vatican's foreign minister. The meeting was attended by the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara.

Syrian officials said discussions dealt with "the inhuman and brutal practices committed by the Israeli authorities in the Palestinian territories."

The two sides stressed the importance of dialogue and cooperation among states.

Al-Assad also received at his residence in Rome on Thursday morning a delegation representing the Syrian community in Italy. The President stressed the role played by emigrants as a bridge to link the expatriates to their homeland. He urged them to take part in the modernization process taking place in the country.

The President answered all interventions and inquiries raised by members of the visiting delegation and promised to settle all problems facing members of the Syrian community in Italy.

The meeting was later joined by Jerusalem bishop in Exile Helarioune Cappuuci, who expressed confidence in the President's leadership, which is " a continuity to the policy set by the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad." On Thursday evening, al-Assad and his wife returned back to Syria.