MINSK, (SANA)_  President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko on Thursday received a verbal message from President Bashar al-Assad on bilateral relations and the latest developments in the Middle East.

The message was conveyed by Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem during his meeting with President Lukashenko in Minsk.

President Lukashenko expressed keenness on preserving the historic friendship ties between Syria and Belarus and strengthening them in various areas.

He renewed the invitation to President al-Assad to visit Belarus.

The meeting was attended by Syria's Ambassador in Minsk Dr.Farouk Taha.

Earlier, an official talks session was held at the Foreign Ministry in Minsk between al-Moallem and his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Martynov dealt with aspects of bilateral relations and prospects of boosting them in various fields.

Both sides exchanged views on the developments of the situation in the Middle East, including the peace process and indirect Syrian-Israeli talks by Turkish mediation in addition to aspects of the crisis in the Caucasus.

Both sides' views agreed regarding the political developments and the position of the two countries toward them where they stressed the need for coordination and cooperation to face the current crisis on the international scene in a way that ensures interests of both friendly countries.

The talks was attended Syria's Ambassador in Minsk, director of the Special Office at the Foreign Ministry, director of the Middle East Department at Belarusian Foreign Ministry and Belarusian ambassador in Damascus,

Al-Moallem arrived in Minsk yesterday afternoon on an official visit to Belarus.

Upon his arrival, he met with Belarusian Minister of Economy Nikolai Zaychenko for talks on areas of the existing economic cooperation between Syria and Belarus and ways of developing and promoting them.

Al-Moallem emphasized the necessity for putting legal frameworks to contribute in encouraging and protecting investment in addition to attracting and increasing the volume of trade exchange between the two countries.

Ghossoun /