You have a pool report on the beginning of the President’s meeting with the Syrian Foreign Minister and we have posted the left to right, I believe, on the seating of the participants. That meeting lasted for about 60 minutes. The President wanted to meet with Syrian Foreign Minister Khaddam to review the status of the Middle East negotiations, and the further improvement of relations between our two countries.
Secretary Kissinger attended the meeting plus the others who are noted on the photo session list.
The President views the visit by Foreign Minister Khaddam as underlining the importance we attach to the Syrian role in the peacemaking process of the Middle East.
The President expressed his personal admiration for Syrian President Assad’s statesmanship in accomplishing a disengagement of Syrian and Israeli forces earlier this summer as a step toward a durable and just peace, and in the meeting, President Ford stressed again that the United States remains irreversibly committed to maintaining the momentum essential for achieving a lasting Middle East peace settlement.
The President also took the opportunity to assure Minister Khaddam of his determination to continue the deepening and strengthening of Syrian-American bilateral relations and he expressed pleasure at the progress that has been made since the restoration of diplomatic ties ,on June 16.
The President and the Foreign Minister discussed also ways to maintain this progress including steps in the economic field. You had a pool report on that, obviously.
