Arab League Secretary General, Amr Musa, on Saturday described his talks with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as "important and completely positive," expressing his satisfaction with the talks.
Musa, in a statement to reporters, said that he discussed with al-Assad and other senior Syrian officials the latest developments in Lebanon, and listened to Syria's point of view in that connection, pointing out that Syria is part of the Arab initiative for finding a solution to the Lebanese crisis. In reply to a question whether there is a link between the Arab summit which will be held in Damascus and finding a solution to the Lebanese crisis, the AL chief said that the two issues could not be connected and that the Arab summit will be held as scheduled in Damascus later this year.
Later in the day, Assad delivered a speech at the official opening ceremony of declaring Damascus as the capital of Arab culture for 2008. Assad welcomed the guests, saying that Damascus opens its arms to embrace sons, dears and friends. "Damascus, the capital of the Arab culture is a great and deep lesson and indicates the dialogue of cultures and their co-existence and is a symbol of the richness of life and an eloquent proof on the futility of idea of civilizations clash, " stated al-Assad. The Arab culture establishes a love relationship and openness with culture of the other...," he added, according to SANA.
