June 26, 2010

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Mrs. Asma al-Assad started on Friday an official visit to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela within a tour of several Latin American countries that includes also Cuba, Brazil and Argentina.

Upon their arrival in their residence in Caracas, President al-Assad and Mrs. al-Assad were received by hundreds of members of the Syrian community in Venezuela who expressed their happiness over this historic visit.

The President will discuss with the Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez bilateral relation, Arab-Latin American relations, and developments in the Middle East and Latin America.

Several agreements will be signed during this visit aimed to bolster cooperation between the two friendly countries.

The President will also meet several members of the Syrian community in Venezuela.

President al-Assad and Mrs. al-Assad are accompanied by a delegation that includes Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban and Minister of Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez visited Syria in 2006 and 2009 and held talks with President al-Assad.

Many agreements and cooperation protocols in parliamentary issues and the fields of environment protection, tourism, agriculture, air and sea transport, economy, trade, free zones, oil, energy, information, housing and construction  were signed, in addition to a political consultation agreement between the two countries' foreign ministries.