Al-Shara: we expect Association Agreement soon, Patten: beginning of the end game

European Union commissioner for foreign political affairs, Chris Patten's visit Syria on 15 and 16 September to boost ongoing negotiations for an Association Agreement with the European Union lead to discussions on developments in the region and he met with President Bashar al- Assad, several cabinet ministers and members of the business community.

The Middle East peace process and Iraq were highlighted in the discussions. Syria's Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara and Patten held a press conference yesterday at the Damascus Meridian Hotel, attended by Syrian and Arab and foreign media correspondents accredited in Damascus.

Al-Shara said that President al-Assad had long, useful and fruitful talks withPatten, who also had similar constructive talks with officials at the Syrian foreign ministry. Al-Shara expressed hope that the talks will be reflected on relations between the two countries and "the Association Agreements which we do expect to be completed very soon."

Al-Shara added that Patten's talks with the Syrian officials covered all areas especially the political and economic dimensions and tackled in depth the two hot-bed issues in the region: Iraq and Palestine. He added that view points were almost identical to giving a key role to the UN to play in helping the smooth transition of authority directly to the Iraqi people and thereby the Iraqi people to be able to seriously contribute to choosing its national government that can get the country out of the state of chaos and absence of security.

For his part Patten expressed his extreme pleasure to be in Damascus and to meet with the Syrian officials. He said he had good discussions with President al-Assad, the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of the economy and that he visited the Syrian- European Business center SEBC, which he described as a means to make the Syrian products internationally competitive.

He said that the principle purpose of the visit is that since the Barcelona Agreement in 1995, the EU has been discussing Agreements with the Mediterranean partners on trade, and economic and political cooperation and agreement for closer relations aiming to create a free trade area by the year 2010, with the aim to maintain a closer political community sharing a common market.

He said that the EU has been making since 2002 with Syria constructive talks concerning the Association Agreement, expressing his conviction that both sides are "at the beginning of the end of game."

He said that the political will should be in both sides to finalize the EU- Syria Association Agreement, noting Europe historical and temporary interests to maintain closer relations with the Arab states and the Islamic world.

Patten also spoke of the program of modernization adopted by both President Bashar al-Assad and the Syrian government on the ground of which Europe will give momentum to provide aid to the Syrian side.

He said that so far 10 rounds of negotiations were held and that preparations are underway for the 11th round of negotiations which will be held in October.

On tough issues facing the finalization of the EU- Syria Association Agreement, Patten said that things which still obstruct the signing of the Association Agreement with Syria are few but important, and mainly lie in trade negotiations on dismantling costumes tariff, the quotas and other related measures. He hoped that these tough issues will be solved, noting "I very much hope, we will be able to conclude these negotiations as expressed by both sides." He expects that " thepolitical will exists" to give an impetus in this regard.

On the Iraqi issue, Patten said that the EU has been discussing the role it can play together with the international community to build a prosperous Iraq after the overthrown of the Iraqi regime of Saddam Hussien. He said that there is no disagreement on that among the EU member states since there is shared interest in eliminating the chaos in Iraq.

He noted the messages he had conveyed to Washington that if "we were able to establish a development fund, working independently for Iraq through the UN, it would provide a channel for providing financial support to the Iraqis."

He added he expected that the donors conference which will be held in Spain in October to make contributions for rebuilding Iraq. The contribution intend to provide support for Iraq until the end of 2004 when an Iraqi government representing the Iraqi people at the UN is expected to be formed.

Patten continued that practical measures can contribute to the resolution of two terrible regional problems of Iraq and Palestine. He explained that even the greatest powers see these problems to be dealt with through international cooperation and that the US sees this fact and the reverse is true as well.

He continued that both in Iraq and Afghanistan, we find nation- building and a prosperous society involving a great deal of diplomatic and financial commitment.

Highlighting the EU support for the Palestinians, Patten said that the EU alone will spend 250 million EUROS in Palestine, adding "we have been most prominent in building the institutions in Palestine. We have a role and we will go on." (Worth noting that the EU had previously said that it would take measures against Israel to recover the money it invested in Palestinian areas that Israel destroyed.)

He added that most economic problems are political and the same are for political ones, and that all problems are soluble giving the political will.

On the recent contacts between the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat and the Syrian leadership, foreign minister al-Shara said that President Bashar al-Assad was satisfied with them, and the reflection was seen in later steps started at the UN Security council when 30 speakers representing their respective countries voiced solidarity with Arafat in facing the Israeli pressure and Israel's attempt to expel him from his homeland, Palestine.

He added that Damascus is open for every and each Palestinian from both the Palestinian groups and the Palestinian Authority, as far as the aim is to unite over the objective of seeking a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

As for the current debate at the US Congress regarding "Syria's Accountability Act," the foreign minister said "we, in Syria, proposed a continued, important and valuable dialogue with the US. We are always for continued dialogue on bilateral, regional and international issues." He indicated that all US Congressmen who visited Syria returned back home to the US carrying good and positive impressions. However, we did not see any results from these impressions," al-Shara commented.