This afternoon, French President Jacques Chirac will receive Vice President of the Syrian Republic, Abdel Halim Khaddam, at the Elysee Palace. Khaddam is currently on a two-day working visit to the French capital. Originally, Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara was scheduled to visit Paris, but due to complications arising from the recent Arab summit, the Syrian minister had to cancel his visit.
According to French sources, there are shared concerns between Syria and France regarding the situation in the Palestinian territories, Iraq, and the overall regional context. Today’s meeting is expected to cover various topics, including Middle East reform projects, the Arab summit, Lebanese-Syrian relations, and issues related to Hamas and Hezbollah. The signing of the Association Agreement between Syria and the European Union will also be addressed by the French President, although it is not the primary focus of the discussions, as indicated by official French sources.
