ISLAMABAD -- Syrian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Farouk al-Ahara will be arriving in Islamabad on August 14 as special envoy of President Bashar al-Assad for talks on regional and bilateral matters, officials said Tuesday.

Farouk al-Shara will call on President Musharraf on 15 August 2002 to deliver a message from President Bashar al-Assad and hold talks with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Inam ul Haq, an official statement said.

Officials say that Pakistan will brief the Syrian foreign minister about the regional situation, focussing on tension with India.

Pakistan's former chairman of senate Wasim Sajjad visited Damascus in June as President Musharraf's special envoy to apprise the Syrian president on the need for dialogue to defuse tension in South Asia.

President Pervez Musharraf visited Syria in January last year, IRNA reported.

During the visit the president held in-depth talks with President Bashar al-Asad and Prime Minister Mohammed Mustafa Miro.

The visit led to increased bilateral cooperation between the two countries and six agreements/memorandum of understanding were signed on cultural cooperation, cooperation in the agricultural field, industrial, scientific and technologies cooperation, coop eration between news agencies.

The Syrian foreign minister visited Islamabad in March 1997 accompanying Vice-President Abdul Haleem Khaddam to participate in Pakistan's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

thr 088 pakistan-syria /wrd/ syrian fm arrives in islamabad for bilateral talks on wednesday islamabad, aug 13, irna -- syrian deputy prime minister and foreign minister farouk al shara will be arriving in islamabad on august 14 as special envoy of president bashar al assad for talks on regional and bilateral matters, officials said tuesday.

farouk al shara will call on president musharraf on 15 august 2002 to deliver a message from president bashar al assad and hold talks with the minister of state for foreign affairs, inam ul haq, an official statement said.

officials say that pakistan will brief the syrian foreign minister about the regional situation, focussing on tension with india.

pakistan's former chairman of senate wasim sajjad visited damascus in june as president musharraf's special envoy to apprise the syrian president on the need for dialogue to defuse tension in south asia.

president pervez musharraf visited syria in january last year.

during the visit the president held in-depth talks with president bashar al asad and prime minister mohammed mustafa miro.

the visit led to increased bilateral cooperation between the two countries and six agreements/memorandum of understanding were signed on cultural cooperation, cooperation in the agricultural field, industrial, scientific and technologies cooperation, cooperation between news agencies.

the syrian foreign minister visited islamabad in march 1997 accompanying vice president abdul haleem khaddam to participate in pakistan's golden jubilee celebrations.