SYRIAN PRESIDENT BASHAR AL-ASSAD AND HIS IRANIAN COUNTERPART MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD HELD A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION HERE ON THURSDAY EVENING. ADDRESSING A PRESS CONFERENCE FOLLOWING THE MEETING, AHMADINEJAD HIGHLIGHTED THE EXISTING DEEP-ROOTED AND CLOSE RELATIONS BETWEEN SYRIA AND IRAN. HE NOTED THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE CONCERNED WITH THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE IN THE REGION AND THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR ENHANCING THE PILLARS OF PEACE AND SECURITY ON THE BASES OF JUSTICE. HE NOTED THAT THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE KEEN ON ESTABLISHING RELATIONS WITH THE NATIONS OF THE REGION ON THE BASES OF MUTUAL RESPECT, AND THEY STAND TOGETHER CONFRONTING THE ENEMIES OF REGION. ON HIS PART, AL-ASSAD SAID THE VISIT OF AHMADINEJAD TO SYRIA COMES IN LINE WITH THE EXISTING COORDINATION BETWEEN SYRIA AND IRAN. AL-ASSAD NOTED THAT THEIR TALKS HAD COVERED THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AS WELL AS THE DEVELOPMENTS AT THE PALESTINIAN ARENA IN ADDITION TO THE SITUATION IN LEBANON.
