By NNN-SANA,
Damascus : President Bashar al-Assad has held discussions with the Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa on the latest regional and international developments, particularly in the occupied Palestinian territories and Iraq.
Al-Assad and Moussa also discussed the next meeting of the Arab Ministerial Council on the level of foreign ministers scheduled for late November.
The president expressed Syria’s deep concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip due to the Israeli siege and practices.
He stressed the necessity for the Arab League to shoulder its responsibility and come up from this meeting with successful decisions and recommendations that guarantee the breaking of the Israeli siege imposed on the Palestinian people.
Al-Assad also said the Arab foreign ministers have to work in their meeting to reach a mechanism for the establishment of the Palestinian national unity to guarantee the unity of the Palestinian people.
The president and the Arab League secretary-general stressed that the establishment of the Palestinian people’s objectives depends on Palestinian unity, and this necessitates that all the Palestinian factions look for common grounds rather than engaging in elements of division.
Al-Assad renewed Syria’s support and readiness to exert all possible efforts to achieve the Palestinian national unity.
The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem and his deputy, Dr Fayssal Mikdad.
Later, Vice President Farouk al-Shara met the Arab League secretary-general.
In a statement to reporters following the meeting, Moussa said his meeting with al-Assad focused on the Arab situation in general and the Palestinian situation in particular as well as the current and future developments in the region.
Moussa added that talks also touched upon the forthcoming meeting of the Arab League Ministerial Council which will discuss the Palestinian issues and the role Syria plays in this regard in its capacity as Head of the Arab Summit.
He stressed the Arab League’s commitment to continuously work for national unity and accord among the Palestinians for the interest of the Palestinian issue and ending the inter-Palestinian dispute before it is too late.
Answering a question on the Syrian-Lebanese relations, the Arab League chief emphasized that relations are based on firm social bonds that go beyond the traditional relations that exist between two countries.
Moussa expressed the hope that the election of Barack Obama as President of the US will lead to the change which he carries as his slogan and around which a lot of voters rallied, adding that this gives hope that the next administration will adopt a new policy in the Middle East.
He added that this American role in the Arab-Israeli conflict must be honest as bias to Israel would lead to many repercussions in the peace process.
Moussa is here to attend the meetings of the Arab Culture, Information and Communication Ministers.