Finnish foreign minister in Damascus
Finland's Foreign Minister Tarja Halonen, who is also the chairperson of the European Union council, arrived in Damascus on Wednesday night. She is accompanied by the EU's Middle East peace process envoy, Miguel Moratinos, on a visit to the country.
She was welcomed at the airport by the Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa and the Finnish ambassador in Damascus.
In an arrival statement to SANA, Halonen indicated that her talks with Syrian officials during the visit will deal with bilateral relations between Syria and the EU and the Middle East peace process.
She asserted the EU's full backing for the Middle East peace process, saying that talks she has held so far with officials in the Middle East were "very important and good in regard to the peace process" and that, "Viewpoints were exchanged in this respect."
She expressed her hope of resuming the Middle East peace process.
Replying to a press question on the date for resuming the Middle East peace talks, al-Sharaa said Syria's position is clear and frank. "If they are to be resumed, talks should be started from the point they broke off and to abide by what has been achieved under the governments of Rabin and Peres," he said, oligations pertaining to complete and full withdrawal from the occupied Syrian Golan Heights until June 4, 1967 border lines.
Al-Sharaa asserted that any delay in resuming talks is the responsibility of the Israeli government. He indicated the positive response and optimism shown by Syria while saying no similar response has been shown so far by the new Israeli government.
On the question of imposing hegemony and occupying the land by means of force, the foreign minister said such a question should be addressed to Israel, which had occupied one third of its territories by means of force between 1948 and 1967. "Israel cannot talk about what she had already committed and to practice double standard in such a way," al-Sharaa said.
Replying to another question, al-Sharaa said, "We are still optimistic toward the possibility of correcting matters and restoring the Middle East peace process to its right track."
Meanwhile, the EU commission in Syria said the visit of the Finnish foreign minister and Moratinos to Damascus on Wednesday falls in the course of continued coordination efforts between the EU and the countries of the region.
In a statement circulated on Wednesday, the EU delegation said the visit aims at discussing issues pertaining to Middle East peace and the Euro-Mediterranean partnership.
The EU delegation reiterated the EU's backing of the establishment of just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. It also expressed the hope that the visit will avail the chance to deepen the good standing relations with Syria and to give a push to "bilateral association agreement negotiations."
Earlier, Halonen underlined the importance of resuming negotiations on the Syrian and Lebanese tracks and to start final status negotiations on the Palestinian track.
In a press conference she held in Amman on Wednesday before she headed for Damascus she said it is ripe time for the Middle East peace process to proceed, "There might be obstacles but our mission is to back this process."
She indicated the good continued cooperation between the EU and the US concerning the efforts exerted to boost the Middle East peace process, saying a key role is played by the US in this regard.