Syria's Information Minister highlights developments in ME

Information Minister Ahmad al-Hasan said that the captives release deal between Hizbullah and Israel is a great achievement for resistance and for the Arabs.

In an interview with Lebanon TV on Thursday, Hasan added that Hizbullah achieved what the Arabs aspire to, the liberation of a large number of arrested from Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and Syria.

"When Israel hold negotiations with Hizbullah, this means a recognition of the legitimacy of the movement, and that its not a terrorist one as Sharon's government alleges," Hasan said.

About peace process, Hasan reiterated that Syria wants the resumption of negotiations from the point it broke off, adding that the initiative proposed by President Bashar al-Assad has been highly appreciated by all world countries.

"We want from the US sponsor of peace process in the region to be committed to its active role, and we want from Europe, Russia and UN to play a greater part with the US to move peace process," he went on.

He added that President Bashar al-Assad's visit to Turkey was very successful and it resulted in positive outcomes on the economic, tourist and political levels. He welcomed the efforts exerted by Turkey to resume the peace process.

Regarding Iraq, Hasan said that Syria is concerned with Iraq as other neighboring countries, but Syria, he added, is more concerned of what is happening there due to the ties between the two peoples, stressing the necessity of preserving Iraq's unity.

About the ties between Syria and Lebanon, Hasan said that the "two brotherly countries are connected by the cooperation, coordination and fraternity agreement."