|
Pakistan's Musharraf In Syria Condemns Israeli Aggression
DAMASCUS (AFP) - Pakistani military ruler Pervez Musharraf began a two-day visit to Syria Sunday for discussions on the Middle East peace process and the two countries' economic ties.
Syrian Prime Minister Mohammed Mustapha Miro and Foreign Minister Faruq al-Shara greeted Musharraf at the airport. The Pakistani general was accompanied by his Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar.
Musharraf met late Sunday with President Bashar al-Assad, and condemned Israeli aggression against the Palestinians. During a dinner in Musharraf's honor, Assad praised Pakistan for "refusing to recognize Israel or having relations with it to the detriment of the Arab cause."
It was the two leaders' second meeting, after they spoke on the sidelines of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) summit in Qatar in November.
Damascus is hoping Musharraf's trip will help secure agreements aiding Syria's economic development, said al-Baath, the newspaper of Syria's ruling party.
"Pakistan is in a good position to support Syria's modernization efforts in industry, technology and agricultural research," the daily said, noting specifically the development of Syria's cement, sugar, glass, textiles and fertilizer industries.
In Damascus, Musharraf will cut the ribbon for an information-training center partly financed by Islamabad. Syria is paying half of the cost of the $400,000 center, while the rest came from Pakistan and the OIC.
Al-Baath said the two countries' cooperation was greatest in agricultural research and "in the area of military defense."
Syria and Pakistan have had close ties since the 1950s, despite their ties to the Soviet Union and the United States respectively. A Pakistani diplomat in Damascus said Saturday that Musharraf would back Islamabad's stance behind Syria's hardline against Israel.
Al-Baath praised Pakistan for its support in international circles for Syria's demand for "a just and comprehensive peace based on U.N. resolutions and the restitution to Syria of the Golan Heights," occupied by Israel in 1967.
The paper also backed Pakistan's position on its territorial dispute with India over Kashmir, calling for the implementation of "the U.N. resolutions on the conflict in Kashmir." In 1949, the U.N. Security Council passed a resolution calling for a plebiscite to allow Kashmir's mostly Muslim population to determine whether they wanted to join India or Pakistan.
Trade between the two countries totaled $15 million in 1999, the Pakistan embassy said.
Pakistan exports pharmaceutical and chemical products as well as rice and marble to Syria while Syrian exports to Pakistan are mainly raw cotton and beans, the Pakistan embassy said.
|
