Syrian-European partnership negotiations

European diplomatic sources said that the second round of official negotiations to reach a partnership agreement between Syria and the European Union started on Tuesday in Damascus.

The sources noted that the meeting is dealing with "technical consultations before getting into details" of an association agreement which will lead to establishing firm political relations and setting up a gradually-implemented free trade zone by the year 2,000, strengthening financial and economic cooperation and encouraging regional cooperation.

The two-day negotiations are attended on the European side by the director of the Mediterranean and Middle East department at the European Commission, Peter Zangl, who arrived in Damascus on Monday and on the Syrian side by Syrian Minister of Planning Tawfiq Ismael.

The first round of negotiations was held on May 14 and 15 in Brussels.