Musharraf, Bashar slam Israel

DAMASCUS, JAN. 8. The Syrian President, Mr. Bashar al-Assad, and the Pakistani military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, have denounced Israel for what they called `its aggressions' against the Palestinian people, a presidential spokesman said.

He said their condemnation came during a meeting on Sunday between Mr. Assad and Mr. Musharraf, who arrived in Damascus earlier in the day on an official visit to Syria as part of a regional tour.

``They also expressed support for the rights of the Palestinian people and called for Israel's withdrawal from all the occupied lands,'' the spokesman, Mr. Joubran Kourieh, said. About 358 people, most of them Palestinians, have been killed since late September in an uprising against Israeli rule in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

The two leaders expressed a desire to boost bilateral cooperation in all fields, especially in the economic and commercial sectors.

Mr. Musharraf, accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Finance, Commerce and Science, would visit Jordan and Lebanon during his four-day tour, officials said. Since assuming power in a bloodless coup in 1999, Gen. Musharraf has made strides towards modernising Pakistan and is trying to lure foreign investments and to get rid of rampant corruption. Pakistan and Syria are bound by a number of agreements in the military, agricultural, industrial and banking sectors. In 1981, the two countries formed a joint ministerial committee which has so far held three meetings, in a bid to bolster economic and commercial relations between them. Last September, they signed an agreement to establish a centre for computer technology in Damascus, which Pakistan has provided with modern equipment.

A Dubai report said Mr. Assad hosted a banquet in Gen. Musharraf's honour on Sunday night.

The news agency, Kuna, did not say whether the Kashmir issue figured during the talks. Reports from Islamabad have stated that Gen. Musharraf would brief Arab leaders on the security environment in South Asia and on ``efforts being made by Islamabad'' to resume dialogue with India.

- AP, UNI, DPA

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : International
Previous : India can play a major role, says Li Peng
Next     : Interest free economy in Pak. from July