Al-Shara - Ivanov joint press conference on Iraq and bilateral issues
Syria's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and his Russian counterpart Igor Ivanov held on Tuesday a press conference.
Replying to a question on Syria's stance regarding the interim Iraqi Governing Council formed recently in Iraq, al-Shara said "it is the first step and we can't give an evaluation except after it starts functioning and unless it is accepted by the Iraqi people. The council is in front of a test before the Iraqi people who aim at forming an elected government with internal legitimacy and international legitimacy."
He stressed that "this issue was attractive to Syria and the international community's concern in the condition that assures the unity and integrity of the Iraqi territories." Regarding the Roadmap, al-Shara said that the Roadmap needed for the Syrian and Lebanese tracks means the drawing of lines to the June 4th of 1967. He stressed that through the negotiations held with the Israeli side, it was resolved more than 80% of the suspended issues between the two sides.
Al-Shara expressed his appreciation over the international Quartet committee's exerted effort to achieve the just and comprehensive peace based on the international resolutions and "Madrid terms of reference." Al-Shara stressed that just and comprehensive peace cannot be achieved without Syria and Lebanon.
Al-Shara underlined that Ivanov's discussions with President Bashar al-Assad were "deep, positive and points of views were identical regarding the current issues."
For his part, Ivanov said that Russia gives an interest vis-a-vis stabilizing and developing its current cooperation with Syria, particularly because the ties between the two countries have been tested by time.
He stressed that discussions have reflected a unified opinion between the Syrian and Russian sides.
Concerning peace process, Ivanov asserted that comprehensive solution in the Middle East requires realizing a settlement in the Syrian- Lebanese track according to international references ( Madrid principles and related UN resolutions.) Asked about Moscow's attitude vis-a-vis the transitional government in Iraq, he said that comprising a transitional Council is only a first step towards the main target which is forming an Administration that is supported by Iraqi people.
The discussions held in Damascus will help in defining the requested steps of the International Community to achieve a settlement in Iraq and to solve the current issues for the interest of the Iraqi people, he added.
Earlier, al-Shara and Ivanov held a meeting of discussion. The meeting dealt with the latest regional and international developments particularly the situation in the Palestinian territories and in Iraq.
Al-Shara stressed the necessity for the international community to bear the responsibility of achieving just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East based on Madrid terms of reference and UN Security Council resolutions 242/ and 338, and resuming negotiations from the point they stopped at.
