Al-Shara, Fischer: UN is the only forum for Iraqi issue

Syria's Foreign Minister, Farouk al-Shara, received at his residence in Istanbul yesterday the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, Joschka Fischer.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the latest regional developments particularly the Iraqi question and the results of the ministerial meeting of Iraq's neighboring states where viewpoints were identical regarding rejection of war and the necessity of reaching a peaceful solution based on the UN Security Council resolution 1441.

Fischer lauded the final statement of the ministerial meeting recently held Thursday in Istanbul.

Both sides, as members of the UN Security Council, stressed the importance of cooperation with the other members in the UN S.C. to realize the desired purpose which is averting Iraq and the region dangers of war and solving the Iraqi crisis in peaceful ways.

Al-Shara and Fischer asserted that the UN is the only responsible side to that determines compliance with resolution 1441.

Following the meeting, al-Shara responded to questions raised by reporters and described talks as ''very positive and aimed at finding peaceful solution and averting the region a war.''