West Germany and Syria agreed on Monday (27 August) to hold regular policy consultations and called for renewed dialogue between Western Europe and the Arab nations.
The agreement was reached in three hours of talks between Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad and West German Foreign Minister Hans Dietrich Genscher, who is in Damascus on the first leg of a tour of Arab countries.
Herr Genscher said after his meeting with the Syrian President that no decision had been taken on how often there should be consultations and at what level, but, he saw the agreement as a sign of both countries’ interest in building closer relations in the spirit of friendship.
Herr Genscher said he and President Assad favoured an intensified dialogue between Western Europe and the Arab world.
The West German minister also held talks with his Syrian counterpart, Abel-Halim Khaddam. He described his talks with Mr. Khaddam as cordial and friendly, despite their differing opinions on American-Middle East policy.
