KUWAIT CITY, 7 June 2004 — Syrian President Bashar Assad arrived here yesterday for talks with Kuwaiti leaders on improving political and economic cooperation between the two Arab nations.
Assad, on his first trip to Kuwait since the toppling of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and the second since taking office in 2000, was met at the airport by Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and top officials.
The two-day visit was expected to focus on economic and political ties, the Arab-Israeli conflict, terrorism and the situation in Iraq, in addition to US sanctions on Syria.
Kuwait and Syria appear to have overcome difficulties that developed during the US-led war on Iraq which Damascus strongly opposed.
The emirate has openly criticized US sanctions against Syria imposed last month, describing them as “useless”, but denied reports it was mediating between Damascus and Washington.
