THE PRESIDENT PAYS HIS RESPECTS TO HAFEZ AL-ASSAD, MEETS BASHAR AL-ASSAD

THE PRESIDENT PAYS HIS RESPECTS TO HAFEZ AL-ASSAD, MEETS BASHAR AL-ASSAD

H.E. Prof. Guido de Marco, President of Malta, this morning joined several Heads of State, dignitaries from around the world and thousands of Syrians in Damascus to pay his respects to the late President of Syria Hafez al-Assad who passed away last Saturday at the age of 69.

The President, accompanied by Head of Protocol Alfred Cachia, aide-de-camp of the President Captain David Mifsud, and Malta's Honorary Consul-General in Damascus Mr Ahmad Houboubati, attended the State Funeral at al-Shaab Palace (the People's Palace) in Damascus where Assad's body lay in state.

Prof. de Marco was then received by Hafez al-Assad's son and successor Dr Bashar al-Assad who expressed his appreciation at the fact that the President of Malta had called personally to offer his condolences. Dr Bashar al-Assad said he wanted to thank the Government and the people of Malta for their expression of sympathy in this sad moment both for his family and for Syria.

The President and Dr Bashar al-Assad spoke at some length about the policies of Hafez al-Assad aimed at ensuring the territorial integrity of Syria from foreign occupation and envisaging the return of peace to the region in the interest of the peoples concerned. Prof. de Marco spoke about the need that the future of the region would be one based on the awareness that progress for peoples lies in peaceful understanding. Dr Bashar al-Assad said the great warmth and sympathy shown by the people of Syria and by several other countries encouraged him.

Prof. de Marco expressed his great satisfaction at the dignity with which the funeral proceedings were carried out enabling every delegation not only the possibility to pay their respects to Hafez al-Assad but also to meet Dr Bashar al-Assad, his family and members of the Syrian Cabinet.

On the sidelines of the State Funeral, Prof. de Marco met Syria's Foreign Affairs Minister Dr Farouk al-Shaara, British Secretary for Foreign Affairs Robin Cook, Italy's Presidente del Senato Nicola Mancino and the Secretary General of the Arab League Esmat Abdel Meguid.

The President arrived in Syria late Monday night where he was welcomed by Syrian Prime Minister Dr Mohammed Mustafa Miro, accompanied by the Minister of Supply and Interior Trade Dr Osam Maa al-Bared, who thanked him for being present in Syria to share the grief of the people at this sad hour. The President returns to Malta tomorrow afternoon.