Damascus, (SANA)-Assistant Secretary General of al-Ba'ath Arab Socialist Party (BASP) Abdullah al-Ahmar discussed on Tuesday with a delegation from Russian Writers' Union the role of intellectuals in defending peoples' rights and causes and achieving peace and security in the world.

Al-Ahmar called on the delegation members to introduce Arab causes of Palestine, Iraq and the occupied Syrian Golan to the Russian people.

He stressed the need for using literature to defend global human issues.

Russian intellectuals denounced Israel's occupation of Arab land and its continued aggression on the Palestinian people.

They also voiced desire to expand cultural cooperation with Syria through mutual activities and meetings in solidarity with the Arab just causes.

Haifa Said /Idelbi