EU, Syria for building security in the region

A phone call was made between Syria's Foreign Minister, Farouk al-Shara and the Foreign Minister of Greece, George Papandreu whose country presides the EU.

The discussions during the phone call dealt with the developments in the region especially the deteriorating situation in Iraq.

Al-Shara stressed the importance of the European role at this stage especially that the majority of the European Union countries opposes the war on Iraq.

Regarding the US threat to Syria, it was stressed that these threats would only escalate tension in the region and undermine the possibility of achievement of a just and comprehensive peace in the ME.

Papandreu stressed to al-Shara that nobody believes the claims that Syria hid Iraqi weapons of mass destruction in Syrian territories.

He also confirmed that he learnt from Powell that the U.S. has no hostile plans towards Syria.

For his part, al-Shara indicated that Syria did not have good relations with the Iraqi regime in the past because of Syria's attitudes towards the Iraqi-Iranian war and towards the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Those attitudes which were widely well known.

Both sides stressed the importance of cooperation between Syria and the EU in order to create an atmosphere that promoted security and stability in the region.