DAMASCUS, (SANA) – President Bashar al-Assad and Mrs. al-Assad held a dinner  Thursday evening in honor of the Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and his wife.

President al-Assad welcomed the guests, stressing the long history that binds the two countries together, which was woven by decades of fruitful rapprochement  that has prevailed the Mediterranean, starting from the rule of the Severan dynasty emperors of Homs in Syria to the rule of Marcus Julius Philippus, who brought Rome closer  to the East, moving from Shahba in Syria to Rome and  became Emperor Philip the Arab whose era was marked with religious tolerance.

 President al-Assad pointed out that this visit gives new impetus to bilateral relations and confirms the importance of cooperation between Syria and Italy, which is not limited to areas of rehabilitation and restoration of monuments , museums and health, but extends to strengthen economic ties and promote mutual investment, adding that the launch of the Syrian-Italian businessmen council is an important step to  bolstering of bilateral relations.

President al-Assad said all this does not prevent us from seeing realities of the challenges facing the Middle East, whose negative effects are not only limited to the region, referring to Europe's ability  to understand the issues because of our geographical and historical proximity , necessitating  it to try more to defuse the tension in the region, which threatens to widen the scope of confrontation.

President al-Assad added that Arab-Israeli conflict remains the major challenge facing the Middle East, stressing the fact that Syria is committed to  just and comprehensive peace.

He also stressed that the peace process can not be made without a partner who accepts international references and declares its readiness to withdraw fully from the occupied territories proving his seriousness towards peace realization.

President al-Assad expressed Syria's appreciation for Italy's support to Syria's right to restoring the occupied Syrian Golan,  looking  forward to a more active European role to end settlement activity and lift the siege on Gaza,and restoring the rights to their owners.

 President al-Assad called for working to make the Mediterranean a sea for peace and harmony, carrying on its waves vessels of amity , peace and stability, so that the region would restore the brilliance of its civilization and the fragrance of its culture.

 For his part, Italian President Giorgio Napolitano gave a speech during which he expressed gratitude for the warm reception and the hospitable spirit of the people of Syria, referring to the deep-rooted friendship between the Syrian and Italian people across thousands of years, hoping to promote these relations.

He also expressed his appreciation for Syria's openness in the Middle East, pointing out that dialogue between religions and different cultures represents a critical challenge in the current century.

President Napolitano underscored the importance of achieving peace in the Middle East, because it is the only hope that will bring prosperity to the people of the region.

He said that unilateral decisions, such as the decision to build new illegal settlements in East Jerusalem undermines the attempts to resume peace negotiations, stressing that the return of occupied land in return for peace, including the Golan Heights, is a priority that should be pursued with courage and determination.

 Fadi Allafi/ idelbi/Al-Ibrahim