Mohammad Khatami's Visit to Syria and Yemen - 2003-05-15

Mr. Mohammad Khatami, the President of Iran, arrived in Damascus to discuss with Syrian officials. It is expected that Mr. Khatami's negotiations will mainly revolve around U.S. pressure to end Syria's and some other countries' support for anti-Israeli groups like Hezbollah, which the U.S. has listed as a terrorist organization. This issue is anticipated to be at the forefront of Mr. Khatami's discussions with Bashar al-Assad, the President of Syria, whom he is meeting today. Yesterday, Ms. Condoleezza Rice, the U.S. National Security Advisor, once again accused Iran and Syria of supporting terrorism. She stated that Washington's relations with Damascus have been troubled due to Syria's support for terrorism. The U.S. National Security Advisor also criticized Iran for being the largest supporter of terrorism in the world. Mr. Khatami traveled to Syria after a three-day visit to Lebanon. In Lebanon, he stated that Iran and the U.S. have significant and serious disagreements. At the end of Mr. Khatami's visit to Lebanon, the leaders of the two countries issued a joint statement condemning what they referred to as a danger and threat to Iran, Lebanon, and Syria. This phrase is a clear reference to the pressure the U.S. is exerting on Iran, Lebanon, and Syria to cease their support for Hezbollah. After his visit to Syria, Mr. Khatami is expected to travel to Yemen for discussions with officials there, which are believed to be more focused on U.S. presence in Iraq. Mr. Khatami is expected to sign agreements with Yemen for economic, security, and cultural cooperation during his two-day visit.