Syrian President Bashar Assad accused "Israeli extremism" of being an obstacle to peace in the Middle East during a meeting Wednesday with Slovak President Rudolph Schuster, the official SANA news agency reported, cited by AFP.
"Israeli extremism and the fact that Israel shies away from applying international decisions are an obstacle to peace," Assad said.
"Syria, which took part in the launching of the peace negotiations in the region, has always been committed to these negotiations."
Schuster said that "peace in the region demands that all UN members respect the decisions of the international organizations," SANA said.
He added that "Syria's position supporting peace has been known for a long time."
Peace negotiations between Syria and Israel have been blocked since January 2000, with Damascus demanding as a prerequisite that Israel recognize its right to the whole of the Golan Heights, occupied in 1967.
The Slovak president arrived in Damascus Wednesday on a three-day visit mainly covering economic matters.
Schuster arrived in Damascus from Beirut, where he held talks with President Emile Lahoud and Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, said the Daily Star newspaper.
Both sides signed several trade agreements, said the paper, adding that the Slovak side pledged to “further enhance its bilateral cooperation with Lebanon.”
Schuster was the first Slovak president to visit Lebanon since both countries established diplomatic relations in 1996 – Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
