DAMASCUS, (SANA)_ President Bashar al-Assad received Thursday afternoon an invitation letter, carried by Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim, from His Brazilian Counterpart, Luiz Inلcio Lula da Silva, to visit Brazil.

President al-Assad promised to carry out the visit as soon as possible. The talks between President al-Assad and Minister Amorim dealt with the standing bilateral relations of friendship and cooperation, importance of reactivating consultations and coordinations, whether on bilateral level or between Arab Countries and Latin America Countries.

Further, the talks touched upon new developments in the Middle East, halted Mideast peace process; President al-Assad asserted that the region status of instability requires international efforts and commitment as to deter whatever possible deterioration, caused by the presence of an extremist government in Israel. In relation to the conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, viewpoints were in accord regarding the necessity for the achievement of Palestinian reconciliation, the basis for defending Palestinian People rights.

Minister Amorim, on his part, highlighted Syria's pivotal role as far as the region issues. Present at the meeting were Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Professor Bouthaina Shaa'ban, the presidential political and Media Affairs Advisor, Latin America Directorate Chairman, and the Brazilian Ambassador to Damascus.

Al-Ibrahim