Arabic News Weekly Edition for Syria, 1/14/2002
Weekly Edition, Syria - Week of January 14, 2002
- Syrian source denies secret messages to the Israeli government
A well-informed Syrian source denied in a statement to the London- based daily al-Zamaan issued on Thursday what was published by certain media quoting high ranking Israeli sources in that secret messages reached the Israeli government saying that Damascus is ready to resume negotiations without prior conditions. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/19/2002 - A Syrian official at the foreign ministry in Brazil
Ambassador Osmar Shahfah, of the Syrian origin from Homs has assumed the post of the secretary general of the foreign ministry in Brazil. This post is considered the most important in Brazil following the post of the foreign minister. Syria-Brazil, Local, 1/19/2002 - An agreement to found a free trade agreement between Syria, Saudi Arabia ratified
The documents provided for the ratification of the agreement on founding the free trade organization between Syria and Saudi Arabia were exchanged on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Saudi foreign ministry in Riyadh. The agreement will be valid as after 15 days of the date of exchanging the documents. Saudi Arabia-Syria, Economics, 1/18/2002 - Al-Assad confers with Spanish foreign minister
Syrian President bashar al-Assad on Thursday at the Damascus al-Shaab palace received the Spanish foreign minister Josep Picqui and members of the accompanying delegation. Syria-European Union, Politics, 1/18/2002 - Goethe Institute director urges cultural cooperation with Syria
" We are very much looking forward to a close and friendly cooperation with the new minister of culture and we are sure that our activities which we are normally planning together with different Syrian partners will serve our common aim," said the director of the Goethe Institute in Damascus Mr. Bjorn Luley, in a statement to Arabic News. Syria-Germany, Culture, 1/18/2002 - Same Syrian conditions to resume political negotiations with Israel
The Israeli radio said on Wednesday that Syria has once again set conditions for resuming political negotiations with Israel by making such negotiations on the ground of the commitment given at that time by the Israeli prime minister Yitzhak Rabin to the Syrian side which is explained by Damascus as meaning a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Golan heights until the western bank of the Tiberies Lake. Syria-Israel, Politics, 1/17/2002 - Two Syrian decrees to ratify agreements with Yemen, Sudan Syria-Sudan, Politics, 1/17/2002
- Al-Assad gets an invitation from Lahoud to attend Beirut summit
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday at al-Rawda Presidential palace received the Lebanese foreign minister Mahmoud Hammoud. The meeting was attended by the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara. Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 1/17/2002 - Syria: the formation of an independent legal commission to defend detainees
A group of independent Syrian lawyers has announced the formation of what they called the national committee for defending " detainees of the opinion," with Damascus as a headquarters, stressed that this commission is not in contradiction with the Syrian laws, noting that this movement does not adopt a political attitude. Syria, Politics, 1/16/2002 - Syrian delegate expected to visit Libya Syria-Libya, Politics, 1/16/2002
- Arafat wants full coordination with Syria
Member of the central committee of the Fatah movement Abbas Zaki on Monday in Damascus said he had informed the Syrian vice president that the chairman of the Palestinian Authority Yasser Arafat " has readiness for full coordination" with Syria. Syria-Palestine, Politics, 1/16/2002 - Jordan stresses implementation of al-Wahda dam jointly with Syria
One Jordanian official has stressed Jordan's determination to carry out the al-Wahda joint dam project with Syria as from its set date in being a strategic project and an important source of water. Jordan-Syria, Economics, 1/16/2002 - Al-Assad confers with US congressional delegation
Al-Assad questioned if the Americans agree with what the Israeli government is doing of acts of assassination, bombardment by planes and demolishing houses and whether these acts are the way to establish peace. Syria-USA, Politics, 1/16/2002 - Al-Assad says the USA needs to define terrorism
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday received a telephone call from the US President George Bush during which latest regional developments were discussed. Syria-USA, Politics, 1/15/2002 - Al-Shara, Hammoud hold discussions on preparations for Beirut summit Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 1/15/2002
- Jordan gives up the building of al-Wahda dam project
The London- based al-Sharq al-Awsat daily said in its Monday's issue that the Jordanian government has given up the idea of building al-Wahda dam on the Syrian- Jordanian borders. Jordan-Syria, Economics, 1/15/2002 - Al-Assad confers with the governor of Cordoba
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Monday received the governor of the Spanish city of Cordoba Mrs. Rossa Aghela and members of the accompanying delegation. Syria-Spain, Politics, 1/15/2002 - Al-Assad confers with Arab League chief Syria-Regional, Politics, 1/14/2002
- Syrian source denies American naval inspection
A well-informed Syrian source has ruled out reports saying that American naval vessels had inspected ships heading for Syria and Lebanon, considering the deployment of these vessels as they are not basically to monitor the Syrian or Lebanese coasts, rather is linked to the war waged by the US against terrorism, especially in Afghanistan. Syria-USA, Politics, 1/14/2002 - Al-Assad accepts credentials of ambassadors of Finland, Poland, Norway and Spain to Syria Syria, Local, 1/14/2002
- Syrian information minister confers with CNN chief
The minister of information Adnan Omran on Sunday received Chief of the CNN Easen Jordan. Syria-USA, Politics, 1/14/2002