DAMASCUS, (ST)- H.E. President Bashar Al-Assad held talks in Damascus today with the visiting President of the Sudan, Omar Hasan al-Bashir, on bilateral relations issues as well as on conditions in the Syria and the region.

Presidents Assad and al-Bashir underscored that the circumstances and crisis of the scores of Arab countries need a new perception for Arab action based on the respect for the sovereignty of the states, and non-interference in their domestic affairs, which, in turn, would guarantee the improvement of intra-Arab relations in the interest of Arab People.

DAMASCUS, (ST)- President Bashar Al-Assad has stressed that the Syrian-Russian economic relations are a main source of strength for the peoples of the two countries in the face of the policies of some western states that seek breaking the will of the peoples of other countries, which refuse to subjugate to the West's dictates, by launching wars or imposing sanctions on the citizens of these countries.

DAMASCUS, (ST)-President Bashar Al-Assad on Tuesday accepted the credentials of Jose Gregorio Biomorgi Muzzatiz, the new Venezuelan Ambassador to Syria and Dikran Kevorkian, Armenia’s new Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the country.

President Al-Assad met separately with the two ambassadors and wished them all success in their new missions.

DAMASCUS, (ST)-  President Bashar Al-Assad has stressed that despite the difference between the wars and pressures facing Syria and the Democratic Popular Republic of Korea (DPRK), these wars have same the goal, which is weakening the countries which possess their independent decision and stand against western schemes. He has affirmed that these wars aim at  redrawing the world map.

DAMASCUS, (ST)- President Bashar Al-Assad has stressed that the top priority of the government's work in the coming era is fighting corruption.

Terrorism and corruption are two sides of the same coin

Chairing a meeting for the government on Thursday after he swore in newly- appointed ministers, President Al-Assad said that any defect in the state is a kind of corruption that causes chaos and frustration which leads to the fragmentation of the society, "therefore, many consider corruption and terrorism as two sides of the same coin".

Prevention and deterrence

President Al-Assad made it clear that it is important and necessary to punish the corrupt, but what is more important is the prevention and deterrence against corruption. He reiterated that prevention starts from structure, regulations, laws and all the rules that govern institutions' work, noting that the biggest part of corruption is caused by the gaps that exist in the laws.