The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Aziz Pahad left Syria this afternoon for Lebanon after completing the second stage of a five country tour of the Middle East. During this visit to Syria, where he has been accompanied by a delegation of governmental and private sector-technical experts, he held talks with Syrian Foreign Minister, Mr Faruk Al Sharah, Deputy Foreign Minister, Mr Suleman Haddad, and Deputy Foreign Trade and Economy Minister, Mr Fuod Al Said. During these discussions a wide range of bilateral interests were touched upon. In particular the recent Middle East tour by the former president Nelson Mandela was discussed between Minister Sharah and Deputy Minister Pahad. Mr Sharah indicated that the government of Syria is fully supportive of Mr Mandela’s efforts to bring peace to the region and expressed full support for the three-point proposal made by the former president to the government of Syria, Israel and Palestine.
In addition to these issues there was a broad agreement between the delegations from both sides that greater effort needs to be made to expand the extent and nature of relations between Syria and South Africa.
ISSUED BY THE DEPARMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Pretoria
23 NOVEMBER 1999