President Beshar Assad spent two days in Yemen at the invitation of his counterpart, Ali Abdullah Saleh and was warmly received. The two leaders held three meetings yesterday (one behind closed doors) on issues pertaining to bilateral relations and the formation of an Arab united stance towards current conditions and Israel's bid to exploit the bloody events in the US by escalating its aggressions. In a joint statement, they stressed the need for continued coordination and consultation between Arab leaders, strongly condemning terrorist acts and aggressive practices against the isolated Palestinian people. They called on the international community to halt this aggression and send international forces to protect Palestinians, as well as pressuring Israel to cease its escalation, which threatens to drag the region into war.
Both leaders asserted their stand against any infringement of the sovereignty and peace of Iraq as well as of Kuwait, calling for a speedy and final solution for the problem of detainees and missing persons, as well as for the lifting of the unjust sanctions imposed on Iraq.
They reiterated their condemnation of the terrorist attacks against the US and asserted the need to coordinate international efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms, but stressed their rejection of linking the legitimate right of people to resist occupation with terrorism. Both presidents demanded that terrorism should be confronted through the UN framework, asserting the need for a united Arab stance on terrorism.
Damascus Radio stressed the importance of the Syrian-Yemeni summit for the creation of Arab solidarity against the ongoing escalated Israeli aggression. Arab media stressed the importance of the summit under current circumstances amid Israeli bids to exploit the terrorist attacks against the US. They noted President Saleh's pledge to support Syria in her struggle to regain the Golan Heights and the remaining occupied Lebanese territories.
Meantime, Foreign Minister Farouk Al-Sharaa received phone calls from his Iranian counterpart, Kamal Kharrazi, and from Javier Solana, the Coordinator of Foreign Policy for the European Union on developments in the region in the light of the recent attacks on the US.
French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine has expressed hope that the United States would not fall into the trap of last Tuesday's terrorist attacks, which are turning the West against the Islamic world. In a TV interview on Sunday night, Vedrine underlined that a clash between the civilizations should be avoided at all costs. He indicated that the US authorities have so far behaved firmly but responsibly; pointing out that they have not presented their plan and when they do every country will be free to determine its contribution.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry said the resumption of negotiations for the achievement of peace in the Middle East has become necessary more than ever before. The spokesman also expressed his country's anxiety over the aggressive Israeli practices in Gaza. He said that Vedrine's visit to the Palestinian areas and Israel is still scheduled but would not take place this week because Vedrine is visiting the United States.
