960424

Benazir, Assad review

regional, Kashmir and

ME developments

DAMASCUS: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had another meeting with the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad in Damascus on Wednesday and exchanged views on matters of bilateral, regional and global interest including the current situation in Indian held Kashmir and the latest developments in the Middle East.

The Prime Minister told the Syrian president that Pakistan highly values Syrian principled stand on the Middle East. She condemned Israeli aggression on Lebanon and said Pakistan supports Lebanon on facing the aggression of Israel.

Also present during the meeting were the Prime Minister of Syria Mahmoud al-Zoubi, Foreign Minister Farooq al-Sharah.

Benazir Bhutto briefed the Syrian president on the explosive situation in occupied Kashmir. She said that the recent barbaric aggression by Israel against Lebanon and devastation of the Lebanese people posed grave setback to the Middle East peace process.

She had met President Assad shortly after her arrival on Tuesday evening.

Prime Minister Benazir also held wide ranging formal talks with her Syrian counterpart Mahmoud al-Zoubi on bilateral matters, regional situation including Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir and the Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

Benazir Bhutto briefed Mahmoud al-Zoubi on the explosive situation in Indian held Kashmir which poses a serious threat to peace in South Asia. She thanked Syria for supporting Pakistan on the Kashmir dispute in accordance with the resolutions of the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC).

She said that Pakistan supports Syria on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from all occupied territories according to the resolutions of the United Nations.

Both leaders, assisted by their ministers and senior aides at the talks also reviewed the prevailing situation in the Middle East and the Israeli attacks on Lebanon.

Briefing the press about the visit of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to Bahrain and Syria, Foreign Secretary Najmuddin Shaikh, said both Pakistan and Syria enjoyed "very cordial" relationship and the timely visit has further strengthened it.

He said Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and President Hafez al-Assad had discussions in depth and decided to strengthen further the relationship through better trade, frequent exchange of delegations, exchange of views and mutual consultations.

Foreign Secretary said President Hafez al-Assad and Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto held wide ranging talks on issues of common concern to the two countries, particularly the Middle East situation, the security situation in South Asia, the Kashmir dispute and measures to expand bilateral ties.

There was great commonality between Syria and Pakistan as both are member states of the United Nations, OIC and NAM, he added.

Pakistan's bilateral relations with Syria are supplemented by the excellent rapport between the leadership of the two countries, he added.

He said, the relationship between Syria and Pakistan will be further strengthened when President Hafez al-Assad will visit Pakistan for the OIC summit, scheduled to be held sometime in 1997. The invitation has already been accepted by the Syrian President, he added.

Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, the Foreign Secretary said has fully briefed the President Assad about the latest developments on the Kashmir dispute.-PPI/APP