Assad arrives in the Kingdom today to discuss with King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, a range of thorny political issues concerning the Middle East and beyond, with the Arab response to continued Israeli settlement building and Palestinian internal divisions heading the list. A Syrian political source told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that the meeting was part of a series of “significant” discussions addressing regional, Arab and international developments. “These meetings between the two leaderships show the desire of Riyadh and Damascus to strengthen strategic relations and activate political, economic and trade dialogue between the two countries,” the source said. The “comprehensive” talks, he said, will broach the unity of Lebanon, Arab reconciliation, and efforts to “realize the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people in establishing their state with Jerusalem as its capital”. According to the source, Al-Assad's visit to the Kingdom, which follows the visit of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Lebanon last Wednesday and Thursday, is “in the interest and support of Arab solidarity to confront the challenges of the present phase”. President Al-Assad will be accompanied on his visit by his Minister of Foreign Affairs Walid Al-Moallem and other senior officials. King Abdullah was in Damascus in July this year for talks with President Al-Assad after the latter had visited Riyadh the January last, while the two leaders conducted an historic visit to Beirut last July where they met with Lebanese President Michel Suleiman in efforts to ease tension in the country. The visit was the first paid by the Syrian president to Lebanon since the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri on Feb. 14, 2005.
