President al-Assad Welcomes Turkey's role in Region
ALEPPO, the north - (SANA) - President Bashar al-Assad on Tuesday welcomed the Turkish role that continuously seeks achievement of peace, stressing Syria's firm stance towards peace.
President al-Assad and his wife received Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his wife in Aleppo.
President al-Assad and Mr. Erdogan held two meetings during which they discussed friendship ties and cooperation between both countries, particularly in the economic and trade fields.
The two sides reviewed regional and international situation, pointing out to the importance of boosting accord among the Palestinians.
President al-Assad welcomed Mr. Erdogan's visit to Aleppo to participate in the inauguration of Aleppo International Stadium and attend a football match between the Turkish Club Fenerbahce and Aleppo's football team al-Etihad.
3 Abril 2007
Iran, Britain soften tone in soldiers dispute 
Tuesday, April 3, 2007
TEHRAN - The Associated Press
Iran and Britain softened their tones yesterday in a dispute over 15 British sailors and marines captured by Iran more than a week ago, despite an Iranian report that all 15 confessed to illegally entering Iranian waters.
Iran said by state-run radio that it would not air the alleged confessions, while a British official said in London that the two countries had agreed to discuss how to avoid future disputes over contested waters in the Persian Gulf.
The Iranian decision not to air footage of the captured Britons was apparently made in response to "positive changes" in the British negotiating stance, Iranian radio reported, without elaborating.
Yesterday marked the sailors' 11th day in detention since they were surrounded and seized by Iranian military vessels in disputed waters on March 23. Iran has said Britain must apologize for the sailors' illegal entrance into Iranian waters before it will consider releasing them.
Britain contends the sailors were in Iraqi waters when they were captured, however, and has said it would not apologize. It has also criticized the airing of footage of four of the sailors confessing so far, saying the statements appeared coerced and the broadcasting of captured military personnel violated international norms.
Yesterday, British Prime Minister Tony Blair's spokesman called previously aired confessions "stage-managed," and said Britain had not changed its demand for the sailors' unconditional release.
Meanwhile, the head of the Iranian parliamentary committee on foreign policy and national security, Allaeddin Broujerdi, said that Britain should send a representative to Tehran to discuss the alleged incursion.
On Sunday, Iran's Arabic-language state television station, Al-Alam, broadcast footage of two of the sailors using maps to show that they were in Iranian waters when they were surrounded and seized by Iranian military vessels.
3 Abril 2007
Syria is Peace Key in Region, Peterlien Says
Monday, April 02, 2007 - 06:25 PM
PARIS, (SANA) - Chairman of the French-Arab Solidarity Association Lucien Peterlien on Monday underlined "Syria is the key of peace in the Middle East".
In a statement, Peterlein said that Syria is seeking the just and comprehensive peace in the region, expressing his Association's full solidarity with Syria and commitment to the friendly ties with the Arabs.
"Syria adopts the two basic factors; courage and logic, to achieve just and comprehensive peace in the region … and Syria will win the battle", Peterlien added.
3 Abril 2007
