No-compromise vow in Golan

Syrian president Hafez al Assad reiterated at the end of a visit to Iran that he would never compromise on the Israeli occupied Golan Heights, the Iranian News Agency said.

The report said Assad made his comments during talks with Iran’s president-elect, Mohamad Khatami, and before flying back to Damascus at the end of his second visit to Iran since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

"Assad said the Golan Heights is an integral part of Syria, and no matter how strong the enemy or his supporters are, Syria will not bend to any pressure and will continue pursuing its objectives decisively," the report said

Khatam, who is due to take his office today, said Israel’s claim to want peace is just a mirage and baseless concept, and it has no good intention in regard to such initiatives.

Khatami then stated that the objective of the U.S.A. is to create a strong and a powerful Israel, having an upper hand over the Arabs in the region.

Assad returned to Syria on August l after holding talks with the Iranian President Hashimi Rafsanjani, spiritual leader Ali Khaminayi, and President-elect Mohammed Khatmi.

The talks dealt primarily with bilateral relations. The two presidents expressed their keenness to keep on enhancing bilateral relations and to take joint action in the interest of the peoples of the two countries and to boost bonds between Arab and Islamic countries.