Syrian official in Saudi Arabia and Qatar on UN investigation
The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani on Sunday evening received Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Walid al-Muaallem who conveyed to him a verbal message from President Bashar al-Assad on the current situations in the region and means of developing and enhancing the existing cooperation between the two sisterly countries.
The message also focused on the underway deliberations at the UN Security Council on the report of Detlev Mehlis on the investigations into the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Sheikh Hamad said his country's leadership and people stand by Syria in confronting the pressures it is exposed to by some international circles.
Muaallem also discussed with Qatari First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabr Al-Thani the bilateral relations between Syria and Qatar in all fields as well as the regional and international issues of common interest.
The Deputy Foreign Minister stressed Syria's readiness to continue cooperation with the international investigation committee into the assassination of Hariri.
He underscored the dangers of destabilizing Syria, stressing that in case this happens it will reverberate to the whole region.
Earlier, Mr. Muallem said he was carrying letters from President Bashar al-Assad to the leaders of Gulf Cooperation Council countries focus on the current situation, the underway deliberations at the UN Security Council and the dangers Syria is exposed to.
Mr. Muallem said in a statement upon arrival in Doha today that Syria has been pursuing a realistic policy that depends on keenness on its national and pan-Arab interests.
He described his visit to Saudi Arabia on Saturday as very positive, adding that "we found full solidarity from the Saudi Arabian King Abdullah Ibn Abdul Aziz and the Saudi people with Syria."
Muaallem added that Syria will continue to cooperate with the international investigation committee to expose the truth behind the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafiq al-Hariri despite the many legal and political flaws in the report.
The Deputy Foreign Minister described the draft law being prepared at the Security Council as dangerous, adding the draft had been prepared in extensive meetings in New York, Paris and London a month before Detlev Mehlis report was published as if they had known in advance what would come out of the report.
He added that he "wasn't surprised by the report which targeted Syria and the region and their stability instead of revealing the truth behind the assassination of Hariri."
Muaallem said with or without a report by the UN Security Council, Syria would continue to cooperate with the international investigation committee because Syria is really keen to reveal the truth behind this crime which hurt Syria and its interests.
