SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS SYRIA, 21 - 23 MARCH

Press Release
SG/T/2123

SECRETARY-GENERAL VISITS SYRIA, 21 - 23 MARCH

Upon arrival in Damascus in the evening of Saturday, 21 March, the Secretary-General was greeted by the Syrian Foreign Minister, Farouk Al-Sharaa. He then dropped in on a celebration of Ireland's National Day by the personnel of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) and the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO).

He began his official programme early on Sunday morning with a visit to UNDOF headquarters at Camp Al-Fawar, south of Damascus. He praised the soldiers and staff of that mission for keeping the peace and maintaining stability "on one of the most volatile fault lines in the world". (See Press Release SG/SM/6500.) He toured by car the empty nearby town of Quneitra.

On returning to Damascus, he met with the Minister for Foreign Affairs for an in-depth review of regional issues, including the Middle East peace process and resolution 425 (1978), which calls on Israel to withdraw from Lebanese soil. Shortly afterwards, the Secretary-General had extensive discussions for well over an hour, primarily on the history of the peace process, with President Hafez Al-Assad.

He then addressed United Nations local staff working in Syria, and attended a luncheon hosted by United Nations organizations. At a press conference in the afternoon, he underlined his belief that "there can be no comprehensive peace in the region without Syria".

After a visit to the Omayyad Mosque, and a walk through the Hamidia souk (bazaar) where he was repeatedly applauded by the crowds there, he went to a meeting with Prime Minister Mahmoud Zoubi. Their discussions focused on the search for a just and comprehensive Middle East peace, the prospects for regional development if there were peace, and the work of United Nations agencies and programmes in Syria. He finished his day with a dinner hosted by Minister for Foreign Affairs Al-Sharaa.

The Secretary-General and his party departed Damascus for the Gaza Strip on Monday morning, 23 March.

* *** *