Spain and Syria have urged the resumption of the Geneva Middle East peace conference and have paid tribute to the efforts by United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim in that direction. A joint statement issued during a visit by Spanish Foreign Minister, Senor Marcelino Areja Aguerro, also emphasized the desire of both countries that the Mediterranean be a zone of peace
Senor Areja arrived in Damascus on Thursday (27 January)and was welcomed by Syrian Vice Premiere and Foreign Affairs Minister Abdel-Halim Khaddam. Senor Areja said he regretted that the Spanish Prime Minister, Adolfo Suarez, was unable to make the trip as originally planned, but he had been detained because or the current domestic situation in Spain.
At a news conference, the Spanish Foreign Minister said the security of Europe was linked to the security of the Arab countries. The joint statement issued by the two countries denounced measures being taken by the Israeli authorities to obliterate the character of the occupied Arab territories, particularly Jerusalem. Senor Areja also held talks with the Syrian President, Hafez Al-Assad, during his three day visit. Mr. Khaddam has accepted an invitation to visit Spain later.
Spin declared its support of the United Nations resolutions on the rights of the Palestinian people and joined Syria in upholding Lebanon’s independence and territorial integrity. The two countries have also agreed to develop their bilateral relations and co-operation in the fields of culture, information and tourism.
