Al-Assad, Khatami summit, Iranian sources

The BBC correspondent in Damascus on Friday quoted Iranian sources as saying that Iranian President Muhammad Khatami debated during his talks with Syrian President Hafez al-Assad several initiatives based on the Iranian outlook towards the dimensions of the international movements, towards the Middle East peace process and Israel and developments concerning the question of Iraq.

The sources said that viewpoints were identical with the Syrians on the dangers imposed on the region and the need to take common decisions and strides that will be announced at due time, and coincide with recent prevailing conditions.

Concerning the escalated military conditions in south Lebanon and its objectives, the two presidents agreed to back the Lebanese "Islamic national resistance" as well as to adopt new Syrian-Iranian initiatives towards the Lebanese resistance.

The Iranian sources added that the Syrian and Iranian presidents agreed on the need to move strongly towards the Arab and Islamic countries to acquaint them with the forthcoming dangers and the need to take common stances to withstand coming developments. The sources added that the Syrian and Iranian foreign ministers will play a key role in the forthcoming phase in this respect, adding that Iran will carry out great efforts to unify the stances of the Islamic countries in the face of the challenges as well as in purifying the atmospheres and expanding its relations with the region, as well as accelerating exchanged confidence with the objective of limiting the foreign presence in the region and consolidating its stability.