Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received a letter from President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria that included an invitation to visit Algeria.

The letter was handed by Algerian Prime Minister Ahmad Ouyahia who was received by President al-Assad Thursday morning. President al-Assad accepted the invitation, promising to pay the visit as soon as possible.
Premier Ouyahia conveyed to President al-Assad the greetings of President Bouteflika. In turn, the President asked the premier to convey his best wishes to the Algerian president and the brotherly people of Algeria, wishing them more progress and prosperity.
Premier Ouyahia stressed that his country highly appreciates Syria's stances over the current developments and her commitment to her firm principles and keenness on defending the Arab rights despite the big pressures put to the country.
Ouyahia said that Syria's stances had actively helped advance the Arab issues on all levels.
President al-Assad, on the occasion of the meetings of the joint Syrian-Algerian Higher Committee held in Damascus on Wednesday, Stressed necessity of persisting with the process of deepening the historical relations and ties between Syria and Algeria and upgrading the cooperation and the volume of economic and trade exchange as well as mutual investments.
President al-Assad and Ouyahia expressed content over the constant development of the bilateral relations between the two countries and their determination to further develop them in all fields for their best interests.
President al-Assad and Ouyahia also reviewed the developments in the region and the world, pointing out that the Arabs are able to get use of these developments if they coordinate their stances and close their ranks for the benefit of their countries and peoples.
The meeting was attended by Prime Minister Mohammad Naji Ottri, Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Buthaina Sha'aban, the delegation accompanying Ouyahia, the Syrian ambassador in Algeria and the Algerian ambassador in Damascus.
Later, In a joint press conference with Ottri, at the end of deliberations of the joint committee, Ouyahia said that he handed President al-Assad a letter from President Bouteflika that included an invitation to visit Algeria and following up consultations on the issues discussed at the Arab summit.
He added that he conveyed to President al-Assad keenness of President Bouteflika to continue consultation and coordination of the Arab positions on all Arab issues and topics of mutual concern.
At the end of the higher committee meetings, Syria and Algeria signed 11 conventions, protocols and executive programs for cooperation in fields of agriculture, trade, exports, health, social affairs, higher education and scientific research, cultural cooperation, international road transport of passengers and goods in addition to the consular area.
Syria and Algeria are connected by distinguished historic relations. The mutual visits of Presidents al-Assad and Bouteflika and Syrian and Algerian senior officials have contributed in boosting these relations in the various political, economic, cultural, educational, health and social fields.
The volume of trade exchange between the two countries in 2006 according to statistics of the central statistics office amounted to 9.343 billion pounds, while imports were valued at 319 million pounds.
(Source: uaedailynews.com)