1999-2003

 

"It's important for Dr. Assad to take on the mantle and for the transition process to be pursued," "I will repeat again to whomever I meet that the door is open, and we will be exploring." There is no question that we need to work with the Syrian leadership in order to accomplish a comprehensive peace." US Secretary of State, Madeline Albright said of President Bashar Al-Assad after the meeting., June 14, 2000.

President Assad Receiving US Secretary of State, June 2000

"The Syrians, Arabs, and the world freedom-loving people would never forget President Hafez Assad. The late Assad tops all in firmness, pride, and dignity; he never surrendered in all his life. Assad, indeed, knew how to raise his cause up to the top of glory and how to build for Syria her glory.’’ . Further, President Castro said of President Bashar Al-Assad : "In President Bashar Assad, I have seen all success, an identical image of his late father in features, morals, sense of responsibility.  "The Syrians, Arabs, and the world freedom-loving people would never forget President Hafez Assad. The late Assad tops all in firmness, pride, and dignity; he never surrendered in all his life. Assad, indeed, knew how to raise his cause up to the top of glory and how to build for Syria her glory.’’ . Further, President Castro said of President Bashar Al-Assad : "In President Bashar Assad, I have seen all success, an identical image of his late father in features, morals, sense of responsibility.

President Assad Receiving President Castro of Cuba

His Excellency President Bashar Al-Assad Talks, October 18, 2000, focused at the Israeli aggressive acts against Palestinians and sanctities in Jerusalem topped the agenda of Assad's talks with Saudi Crown Prince as well as at the then soon was to be convened Arab Summit in Cairo , coordination, consultation and bilateral relations and cooperation between Syria and Saudi Arabia

President Assad with Saudi King, 2000

His Holiness Pope John Paul 11 left Damascus on April 8, 2001, concluding a four-day visit to Syria where he completed His pilgrimage by following the steps of Saint Paul the Messenger. His Holiness expressed gratitude to President Assad and members of the government who welcomed him opened their hearts and extended help to him. He pointed out that the Syrian people are renowned for their Hospitality and made him feel at home during the days of his pilgrimage thanking also the Syrian Christian Community.

President Al-Assad expressed deep satisfaction over the outcome of the Pontiff's historical visit to Syria ,the cradle of civilization and heavenly religions asserting that the Syrian people and the people in the region be them Moslems or Christians the human feelings of the Pontiff and highly and highly appreciated His words about justice and international legitimacy and the U.N. resolutions as well as self-determination, saying “ while we are seeing you off we will keep remembering your historical visit and your blessed steps on the land of history."

Pope John Paul II , May 8, 2001, held a large mass pray for peace in the Middle East in the Syrian liberated city of Quneitra saying " I pray for peace in the holy lands and world-wide. Genuine peace is a gift from the God, and our openness to this gift requires faithful guidance of the heart. Engulfed with a deep faith and with a gratefulness to this land in which saint Paul had run declaring the truth of the God and heralding Jesus Christ.

Original caption: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (L) and Pope John Paul II (C) review the honor guard upon the Pope's arrival in Damascus from Athens, 05 May 2001. The pontiff arrived in Syria on a four-day visit as part of his pilgrimage in the footsteps of St. Paul. AFP PHOTO/Nicholas KAMM

President Assad Receiving Pope John Paul the Second

The talks, May 3, 2003, discussed issues of bilateral concern.

President Assad Receiving US Secretary of State

Both Presidents, December 10-11, 2003, asserted the necessity for the establishment of just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East on the basis of relevant UN Security Council resolutions. Both presidents voiced their satisfaction and pleasure over the development of the relations that had been achieved over the past few years expressing common desire to promote these relations. Scores of cooperation agreements were signed during the visit in the fields of science and technology, health..

President Assad Receiving His Belarusian Counterpart

H. E. President Bashar Al-Assad with the Indian Premier, November 15, 2003, Inaugurating the Biotechnology Centre in Damascus

The talks, November 1, 2001, dealt with regional as well as international conditions, Mideast Peace Process, bolstering of bilateral relations and with the issue of combating terrorism. In a joint press conference after the meeting, H. E. President Al-Assad reiterated Syria’s adherence to peace realization as a strategic choice, stressing the Syria support of the international cooperation in fighting terrorism, calling for distinctions to be made between resistance and terrorism.

The talks, November 1, 2001, dealt with regional as well as international conditions, Mideast Peace Process, bolstering of bilateral relations and with the issue of combating terrorism. In a joint press conference after the meeting, H. E. President Al-Assad reiterated Syria’s adherence to peace realization as a strategic choice, stressing the Syria support of the international cooperation in fighting terrorism, calling for distinctions to be made between resistance and terrorism.

President Assad Receiving British Premier

The visit, February 20-24 2002, witnessed various meetings by the President with Italian officials, and other meeting and activities by the First Lady Asma Al-Assad. H. E. President Al-Assad discussed during the visit prospects of technical and economic cooperation and three cooperation agreements were signed between the two countries covering the areas of investment, the environment and tourism cooperation. H. E. President Al-Assad said during the visit that the renowned Syrian architect Apolorado.

Il Presidente Ciampi accoglie al Quirinale il Presidente della Repubblica Araba Siriana Bashar Al-Assad 19 febbraio 2002.

President Assad in a Visit to Italy

President Al-Assad Receiving Sultan of Brunei, September, 2002.

President Assad with his Yemeni Counterpart

President Assad with his Egyptian Counterpart, October 2, 2000

President Assad with his Egyptian Counterpart & Saudi Crown Prince

His Excellency President Bashar Assad , his Egyptian Counterpart, Hosni Mubarak and the Jordanian Monarch, King Abdullah the Second, inaugurated . March 14, 2001, an electric grid hooking Syria up to the already standing Egyptian-Jordanian grid, in a prelude for an enlarged electricity linking with Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, some African countries, and with some European countries.

President Assad with his Egyptian Counterpart & Jordanian King

    The talks, October 19, 2000, dealt with the general situation in the region in light of the Israeli assaults against Palestinians and the holy sites of Jerusalem as well as with Israel's continued escalation of these actions and intimidation to the Arab parties.

President Assad with Jordanian King

President Bashar Al-Assad taking the Constitutional Oath

President Bashar Al-Assad Receiving Head of Presidency Board of the Higher People Assembly in the Democratic Republic of Korea, June 28, 2000. The Korean Official hailed the achievements of the late President in the way of freedom and progress.

President Assad Receiving a Democratic Republic of Korea Official

President Assad eceiving the Syrian Minister of Defence and Chief of Staff, June 13th, 2000.

President Assad eceiving the Syrian Minister of Defence and Chief of Staff

The talks , March, 28, 2001, dealt with conditions in the region and these conditions require from Arab sides in the peace process, and prospects opened by President Bashar al-Assad's speech at the summit's inauguration session on possibility of coordination between the Palestinian and Syrian sides in confronting the Israeli anti- peace positions.

President Assad Receiving PLO Chairman, Arafat

President Assad with his French Counterpart

The talks, November 8, 1999, dealt with a number of international issues, on top of which Mideast Peace process.

President Assad with French President , 1999

Back

INTERVIEWS SPEECHES DOMESTIC ISSUESNATIONAL ISSUESINTERNATIONAL ISSUESNEWS & ANALYSESPICTURES    HOME