PRESIDENTS AL-ASSAD/ FRANCE VISIT STATEMENTS (November 13, 2009)

''It goes without saying that the most important issue on the top of the priorities is the Peace between Arabs and Israelis, particularly on the Syrian track. The talks dealt also with the Mideast Process, halted for months, especially following the aggression against Gaza, a possible French role as to push forward the Process of Peace; hence this process cannot be made by one side; there is the Syrian side, who desires the peace, there is the Turkish Mediator ready to play the role of the mediator between Syria and Israel; there is a French, European and international backing for this process; what is missing today is the Israeli Partner, being ready as to make the peace or as to accomplish the peace,'' said His Excellency President Bashar Al-Assad to the press, following his talks with His French Counterpart, Nicolas Sarkozy, at the end of  their Summit, Paris, November 13, 2009.

''There are the basics for the process of peace and the Terms of Reference, based basically on the 1991 Madrid Peace Conference. The negotiations were held in the 90's, and other negotiations were recently held in Turkey. If the Israelis were to be serious in the Process of Peace, there is the Turkish Mediator now declaring on ever occasion its readiness to play its role as to gather all the sides to the negotiations table. If the Israelis wanted to prove the truth of their words- about the peace- they have to go to the Turkish Mediator, who is present and ready. If Netanyahu were to be sincere- in his statements as to negotiate peace with Syria- he could send persons specialized with negotiations, and we would send, to Turkey, where they would discuss the issue of the peace, if the objective were to be the peace. Syria has no preconditions, Syria has but the rights, which Syria is never to surrender.'' declared H.E. President Al-Assad.

''The Process of Peace has its prerequisites, without which it would fail,'' underlined H.E. President Al-Assad, asserting that the Israeli ongoing playing with words would lead but to instability, calling on France to convince Israel to commit itself to the Turkish mediations.

His Excellency President Al-Assad described his talks with President Sarkozy as 'very successful'', 'constructive'' ''transparent'' and as ''bolstering the confidence built between Syria and France'', ''dealing with many international as well as regional issues, bilateral relations, the Iranian nuclear file, the recent positive developments in Lebanon, particularly following the formation of the Lebanese Government, which we expect to be an important step for the stability in Lebanon.''

 ''The talks, further, dealt with the situation in Gaza from a human perspective; I asked President Sarkozy to interfere as to stop the daily killing of the Palestinians by the Israel Army,'' said H.E. President Al-Assad citing today's killing of a Palestinian citizen.