Dec.  10, 2001

President Mubarak returned home last night after a flight visit to Syria during which he had talks with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad on efforts exerted to contain risks threatening the security and stability of the Middle East region.

    President Mubarak's flight visit to the Syrian capital comes in the wake of the visit paid by Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories and his talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and his Israeli counterpart Shimon Peres, Israeli Defence Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer and Palestinian Leader Yasser Arafat.

    President Mubarak briefed the Syrian President on the results of Maher's talks and the contents of the telephone call received by President Mubarak from US President George Bush on the progress of the US mediation and the need for mobilizing efforts to contain deterioration of positions.

    The two leaders also reviewed the latest developments and future forecasts in the light of the Israeli escalation policy adopted by the Israeli Prime Minister who seeks to capitalize on events in Afghanistan and Palestinian resistance reactions to terrorism to undermine any opportunity for resuming peace talks.

    Talks between the two leaders also covered the Arab and Islamic roles for torpedoing this Israeli move through coordination and intensive contacts with the United States and European Union, as well as international powers.

    The two leaders agreed that Sharon's policy to scuttle peace efforts poses risks to all countries of the region including the Israeli people and that military force, and oppression will not achieve security for Israel and that a just and durable peace is the only way for achieving security and stability for all peoples of the region.

    At the end of talks, a joint communiqué was issued by Presidents Mubarak and A1 Assad in which they focused on the following points:

    That the continuation of the volatile situation in the occupied Palestinian territories as a result of the Israeli aggressive policies and practices against unarmed Palestinian people poses a threat to all countries of the world, and to efforts for achieving a just and comprehensive peace.

    Rejection of attempts exerted by Israel to mix terrorism, which is denounced by all Arab countries, and legitimate struggle for liberating occupied lands and the war launched by Israel against unarmed Palestinian people who are defending their national soil.

    Calling on all international powers concerned with the peace issue mainly the United States, EU and Russia to shoulder their responsibilities for reaching an immediate halt of acts of aggression, and destruction which claim the victims of the Palestinian people.

    The two leaders assigned their foreign ministers to coordinate with their colleagues in the Organization of Islamic Conference with the aim of reaching resolutions expressing the will of the Islamic peoples rejecting the Israeli aggression.

    President Mubarak was accompanied by Minister of Information Safwat A1 Sherif, Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, Minister of Foreign Trade Dr. Youssef Boutros Ghali, Minister of Industry and Technological Development Dr. Ali A1 Saeidy, Minister of Petroleum Sameh Fahmy, Minister of Electricity Dr. Hassan Younis and Presidential Political Advisor Dr. Osama A1 Baz.