Damascus, (SANA)-President Bashar al-Assad and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia on Thursday held talks at the People's Palace on the Syrian-Saudi fraternal relations and the constructive cooperation over the past period vis-à-vis issues of common interest.

President al-Assad and King Abdullah voiced mutual will to press ahead with this cooperation and joint efforts to confront the challenges facing the Arab nation and serve its just causes.

The two leaders stressed that the current Arab situation and the challenges facing the Arabs, mainly in occupied Palestine, urge everybody to double the efforts to upgrade inter-Arab relations and search for work mechanisms to enhance solidarity and support joint Arab action.

They reiterated the importance of achieving Palestinian national unity as the main guarantee for the Palestinian people's rights. President al-Assad and King Abdullah also hailed the honorable stances of Turkey to support the Palestinians and break the inhumane Israeli siege on Gaza Strip.

Israel must be punished for its crime against Freedom flotilla

They emphasized the importance of unifying efforts to punish Israel for its heinous crime against Freedom Flotilla, calling on the international community to assume responsibility and pressure Israel to lift the unjust Gaza siege immediately and put an end to its criminal and settlement exercises in the occupied Arab territories, which demonstrate Israel's rejection of the peace requirements.

President al-Assad and King Abdullah affirmed interest in supporting the national accord process which started in Lebanon since the formation of its national unity government, and backing everything that helps consolidate the country's stability and unity and cement confidence among all the Lebanese.

A national unity government in Iraq is essential  

On Iraq, President al-Assad and Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques considered it is necessary to form a national unity government as soon as possible with the participation of all political spectrums to preserve the country's Arab identity, security and stability.

Later, President al-Assad and King Abdullah completed their talks at a dinner banquet held by President al-Assad in honor of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, attended by members of the two official delegations.

President al-Assad and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques will visit Lebanon on Friday.

An official reception ceremony was accorded to King Abdullah at the People's Palace during which the national anthems of Syria and Saudi Arabia were played.

President al-Assad and King Abdullah reviewed the Guards of Honor, while the artillery was firing a 21-round salute in honor of Syria's great guest.

King Abdullah shook hands with the senior Syrian officials who took part in receiving him, including Vice-President Farouk al-Shara, Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Otri, Finance Minister Mohammad al-Hussein, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban, Education Minister Ali Saad, Information Minister Mohsen Bilal, State Minister for Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam and Syria's Ambassador in Riyadh Mahdi Dakhlallah.

President al-Assad shook hands with members of the official delegation accompanying the Saudi King: Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal, Head of the General Intelligence Prince Mokren bin Abdelaziz Al Saud, Minister of Education Prince Faisal bin Abdulla bin Mohammed Al Saud, Advisors of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Prince Turki bin Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Saud and Prince Bandar bin Salman bin Mohammed Al Saud, Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf, Minister of Culture and Information Abdulaziz Khoja, Chief of the Royal Diwan Abdulaziz Al Tuwaijri and the Saudi Ambassador in Damascus Abdullah Al-Efan. 

King Abdullah earlier started a two-day official visit to Syria, and was received by President al-Assad at Damascus International Airport.

Last October, President al-Assad met King Abdullah in Damascus, held talks on enhancing cooperation relations between the two countries, boosting up Arab-Arab relations and the joint Arab work in addition to continuing consultation and coordination between the two countries at all levels.

Also, President al- Assad received three messages from the Saudi King in January and April 2010 and March 2009 on the latest developments in the region and bilateral relations bolstering.

Five agreements, memos of understanding and documents were signed in the areas of customs, trade and economy as well as an agreement to avoid double taxation during the meetings of the Syrian-Saudi Joint Ministerial Committee and the Joint Syrian-Saudi Business Forum last March in Damascus.

M.Ismael/H. Said / Fadi Allafi /Mazen /Zahra