President al-Assad to Romanian Delegation: Just and Comprehensive Peace Will Achieve Security and Stability in the Region

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

President Bashar al-Assad discussed on Tuesday with a Romanian parliamentary delegation headed by Chairman of the Foreign Policy Committee at the Romanian Chamber of Deputies Stefan Glavan the role of MPs in bolstering bilateral relations between Syria and Romania and developing Arab-European relations.

During the meeting, President al-Assad gave a detailed explanation of the situation and recent developments in the Middle East, affirming that establishing just and comprehensive peace will achieve permanent security and stability in the region.

For their part, the Romanian delegation stressed Syria's pivotal role in solving the region's issues, underlining the Syrian efforts for achieving peace.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the Arab and Foreign Affairs Committee at the People's Assembly Suleiman Haddad and the Romanian Ambassador in Damascus. In a statement to SANA, Mr. Glavan described his meeting with President al-Assad as "positive and very productive," affirming the importance of Syria's regional role. "Syria is the most important country in the region, and its role in it is pivotal," said Glavan, underlining the development in bilateral relations between Syria and Romania and affirming his country's support to achieving just and comprehensive peace in the region according to international legitimacy resolutions.

A Letter from President al-Assad to Spanish King on the Latest Developments

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Spanish King Juan Carlos received a letter from President Bashar al-Assad on the latest positive developments in the Middle East and the role played by Syria and Spain in boosting security, stability and economic and cultural cooperation among Arab and European countries.

King Carlos received al-Assad's letter during his meeting with Syrian Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Abdullah al-Dardari at Zarzuela Royal Palace in Madrid on Tuesday.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the Syrian- Spanish economic cooperation and means of enhancing it.

Talks also dealt with the results of al-Dardari visit to Spain and his discussions with Spanish officials and businessmen.

Syria will intensify efforts to regain Palestinian unity, President al-Assad says

Thursday, July 03, 2008

President Bashar al-Assad Thursday underlined that Syria will intensify efforts to regain the Palestinian rank unity, support the Palestinian negotiating stance and guarantee the return of their legitimate rights, on top the establishment of the Palestinian independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

The President received members of the Politburo of Islamic resistance movement (HAMAS), headed by its Chairman Khaled Meshal who thanked President al-Assad for the aid offered by Syria to the Palestinian people and her efforts to regain unity and lift siege imposed on Gaza.

Talks during the meeting dealt with the latest developments in the occupied Palestinian lands.

President al-Assad Stresses that General Atmosphere in the Region is Positive, Calls for Activating European Role in Peace Process

Monday, June 30, 2008

President Bashar al-Assad described the general atmosphere in the region as positive, calling for constantly giving momentum to the underway positive course of action and activating the European role, particularly regarding the peace process.

Meeting Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store Monday morning, President al-Assad said it is very important to restore the Palestinian national unity as it is difficult to achieve any positive progress without the restoration of the national unity among sons of the same people.

As for Lebanon, President al-Assad pointed out to the importance of carrying out Doha Agreement as a whole among the Lebanese and forming a national unity government as soon as possible.

On Iraq, His Excellency reiterated Syria's support to the underway political process in the country, indicating that this process should encompass all walks of life and coincide with a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign forces from there.

President al-Assad also called for practical and concrete steps to boost up the relations between Syria and the European countries in all fields.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Gahr Store praised Syria's positive role and efforts in finding solutions to the Middle East issues.

Mr. Gahr Store also voiced his country's support to the indirect negotiations between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation.

President al-Assad and the Norwegian Minister also discussed the relations between Syria and the European countries.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, his Assistant Abdul Fattah Ammoura, the Norwegian Ambassador in Damascus and the delegation accompanying the Norwegian Foreign Minister.

Later, Minister al-Moallem met his Norwegian counterpart and the accompanying delegation in the presence of Mr. Ammoura, Directors of Foreign Information, Europe and Special Bureaus Departments at the Syrian Foreign Ministry .

Al-Moallem, Gahr Store: Extensive, Fruitful talks, Agreement on Continued Contacts

Monday, June 30, 2008

Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Store said the talks he held with President Bashar al-Assad on Monday covered different issues of the Middle East.

In a joint news conference with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Moallem at the Foreign Ministry, Mr. Gahr Store said his talks with President al-Assad and other Syrian officials were extensive and covered the situations in Lebanon, the Palestinian territories and the indirect talks between Syria and Israel to divert the course of developments into a positive direction.

Mr. Gahr Store added that prospects of making success in Lebanon and the indirect talks between Syria and Israel as well as the underway negotiations between the Palestinians and Israel—despite fragility-- and the possibility of inter-Palestinian reconciliation, all that require active participation from all the parties concerned.

He added that these issues remain important for the world peace and need world participation, therefore northern Europe countries, particularly Norway, are ready to take part.

The Norwegian Foreign Minister stressed that the contacts between Syria and his country enjoy a wide network of relations with different parties in the region, adding that Norway was ready to activate these relations if they help achieve peace in the region.

Mr. Gahr Store called on the international community, including the European Union, to support all the parties actively and urge them to work seriously to push the peace negotiations forward.

Answering a question on the possibility of Norway offering help in the indirect talks between Syria and Israel, Mr. Gahr Store said the main responsibility in these negotiations lies on the parties concerned, but for reaching peace the international community must offer help and support.

For his part, al-Moallem said his Norwegian counterpart held fruitful and constructive talks with President al-Assad, covering the situations in the occupied Palestinian territories and the Palestinian factions, the importance of achieving the Palestinian national unity.

He added the two sides also discussed the situation in Lebanon and the importance of forming a national unity government as soon as possible in implementation of Doha Agreement as well as the situation in Iraq and the necessity of achieving the national reconciliation and the agreement on the unity of Iraqi territories.

Mr. al-Moallem said there was agreement during these talks on boosting up the bilateral relations, indicating that the talks between the two sides will continue as the region is witnessing positive developments. He added that "Norway stances over the issues of the region are characterized by being objective…and I can say Norway is interested and can play a positive role for the security and stability of the region."

Answering a question on the indirect talks between Syria and Israel, Minister al-Moallem said "the current talks are preparatory to lay proper basics and elements for the launch of direct talks…and as in any negotiating process there are ups and downs…but the important thing is to keep the two sides involved in these talks until reaching this base…."

He added that the second round of talks will start soon in Turkey, and 'we hope the talks will achieve the required progress."

Replying a question on the visit by President Bashar al-Assad to France and his participation in the "Union for the Mediterranean" summit and the possibility of holding summit meetings with European leaders in addition to a meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Mr. al-Moallem said "Syria is an important Arab Mediterranean country in the region…we hope that the visit of the President will be a prominent point whether in our relations with the European Union or in the bilateral relations between Syria and France…this is something that we are waiting to test…"

He added that "Naturally there will be a summit meeting between Presidents al-Assad and Sarkozy that covers various political issues of common interest and ways of boosting up these relations…and other meetings with leaders in Europe, including the UN Secretary General."

"The meetings which come on the sidelines of such conferences are important.. but we are waiting for tangible and practical steps from the Europeans." The Minister said.

He underlined that there is now an opportunity to achieve the just and comprehensive peace in the region, adding "we hope the Israelis will not miss it with their party disputes."

"I believe that if Israel had responded to the UN Security Council resolutions No. 242 and 338, the region would have been avoided a lot of disorders that we are witnessing today," Minister al-Moallem said.

On the latest events in north Lebanon, al-Moallem expressed hope for an end to those painful incidents in a way that guarantees security and stability of the Lebanese, underlining that the formation of Lebanese national unity is a Lebanese issue.

As for the expected visit of the Palestinian Authority President to Syria, the Foreign Minister said this visit comes in the framework of the Syrian efforts, beginning at Damascus Summit, to close the Palestinian ranks and achieve national unity.

"The Palestinian national unity is the guarantee for the Palestinian rights… Syria has contacted different Palestinian factions to get their attitudes on the way of reaching this unity… and the visit of President Mahmoud Abbas comes in this direction to brief us on the current situation of negotiations," the Foreign Minister added.

He said that President al-Assad, in his capacity as President of the Arab summit, will resume his Arab tours soon after he returns back from France.

Al-Moallem and Serry discuss latest developments in region

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem on Sunday underlined the importance of implementing the international legitimacy resolutions that call for the end of the Israeli occupation of the Arab occupied lands since 1967.

The Minister discussed with the UN Special Coordinator for the peace process in Middle East Robert Serry the latest developments in the Middle East and the efforts exerted to launch the peace process.

He called the UN to practice its important role in a neutral and balanced manner to keep its credibility.

Serry, for his part, expressed optimism over the latest positive developments in the region, referring to the indirect peace talks between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation and the truce deal between Hamas and Israel.

Deputy Foreign Minister Fayssal al-Mikdad attended the meeting.

"Talks with the Syrian officials dealt with the latest developments in the region and al-Doha agreement in addition to the indirect peace negotiations between Syria and Israel under Turkish mediation," Serry said in a statement to SANA following the meeting.

The UN official added his talks also dealt with the latest developments in Palestine and the truce between the Palestinians and Israel.

He underlined the UN support to achieve the just and comprehensive peace in the region and its aspiration for developing cooperation with Syria.

Syria hands UN Fact-Finding Committee a report on the Israeli inhuman practices against citizens in Golan

Thursday, July 03, 2008

Syria on Thursday called the United Nations to exert pressure on Israel to stop its continued practices and aggressions against Syrian citizens in the occupied Syrian Golan who suffer from the Israeli daily flagrant violations.

Syrian Foreign Ministry handed a report on the suffering of the Syrian people in the Golan to a UN Fact-Finding Committee to investigate into the Israeli practices affecting the human rights in the occupied Arab territories.

At the beginning of the meeting, Syria welcomed the international committee in Syria headed by Sri Lanka Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam with the membership of Ambassadors of Malaysia and Senegal.

The report underlined that the Syrian citizens' conditions are worsening day by day as a result of the Israeli practices which displace them, confiscate their farms and expand the settlements where a tourist village was set up lately on an area of 40.000 m.

" Israel still buries the poisonous nuclear wastes in the Golan in a flagrant violation of the international legitimacy resolutions…. And the Syrian citizens are still exposed to the explosion of mines planted by Israeli occupation forces and the number of injured people by the explosions reached at 67among them 17 children," the report said.

It called the UN General Assembly to immediately intervene and take necessary procedures to release the Syrian captives in  the Israeli prisons, particularly Beshr al-Makt and Seitan al-Wali who made a medical surgery on May 12, 2008 and the Syrian journalist Ata Farhat who was detained without any charge.

"The Israeli occupation forces also won't allow the Syrian relatives to visit each other who were separated as a result of the occupation… and Israel on 15.4.2008 confiscated the Syrian identities of the Syrian students studying at Syrian universities when they returned back to the occupied Golan," the report said.

Foreign Ministry called the UN to give permissions to the Syrian students to visit their homeland Syria through al-Qunaitera crossing point in accordance to the articles 25,26,30, 142, 74 of Geneva convention on protecting civilians.

" Israel loots the Golan natural resources and steals its water and springs in order to enforce Syrian citizens who still living there to leave their homeland in addition to cutting trees in violation of the international legitimacy," the report added.

It urged the UN to take the conditions of the Syrian women who live under occupation into consideration, saying "the Syrian woman lives a painful situation and witnesses psychological bad effects and prevention form medical therapy after the closure of the only medical center in the Golan to transform it into a HQ to the Israeli military."

"Syria renews commitment to achieve the just and comprehensive peace in the region, based on international UN relevant resolution and the land-for-peace formula that guarantees the returning back of the occupied Syrian Golan and the occupied Arab territories into the line of June 4th, 1967," the report said.

Mr. Prasad for his part underlined that Israel prevented the Committee from entering Gaza, the West bank and the occupied Syrian Golan to see the real situation and suffering of the Arab people living under occupation.

"So we visited the liberated city of al-Qunaitera and we were briefed from its Governor on the conditions of the families in the Golan and their suffering as a result of the Israeli practices," Mr. Prasad added.

He underlined that the Fact-Finding committee will submit the report to the UN General Assembly to investigate into the Israeli practices against the citizens in Golan.

"The Committee will later issue recommendations and take initiatives that uncover the Israeli practices and call for the end of occupation," the UN official said, adding that those recommendations will become official documents on the Israeli inhuman practices against the Syrian citizens in Golan.