MALAYSIA: Syrian PM meets Malaysian counterpart on visit, calls for UN meeting over Gaza

Record ID: 279322

  • Title: MALAYSIA: Syrian PM meets Malaysian counterpart on visit, calls for UN meeting over Gaza
  • Date: 8th January 2009
  • Summary: PUTRAJAYA, MALAYSIA (JANUARY 7, 2009) (REUTERS) MAIN STREET IN ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL GREEN DOME STATE BUILDING / OFFICIALS STANDING IN FRONT OF HONOUR GUARDS HONOUR GUARDS STANDING IN FRONT OF FLAGS SYRIAN FLAG
  • Embargoed: 23rd January 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Malaysia
  • Country: Malaysia
  • Topics: War / Fighting,International Relations
  • Reuters ID: LVABGUWT5Q69QKJWGE7IMNLPQD3N
  • Story Text: Syrian PM Naji al-Otari and Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmad Badawi call for U.N. to hold emergency meeting over Gaza crisis.
    Syrian prime minister Naji al-Otari met his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Ahmed Badawi in the Malaysian city of Putrajaya on Wednesday (January 7) to discuss bi-lateral relations.
    They jointly called for the United Nations to hold an emergency meeting at the General Assembly level to try and end the violence in the Gaza Strip as Israel continues a large-scale military offensive against the Hamas-run enclave.
    Otari, who is on a four-day visit to the country, was given an official welcome by honour guards before holding a meeting with his counterpart to discuss the latest situation in the Gaza conflict as well as several bi-lateral agreements.
    Speaking to the media, Badawi said Israel's actions constituted to a form of terrorism and criticised Washington's handling of the issue.
    The conflict, which began after Israel claimed it had no option but to launch a large-scale military offensive in response to Hamas rockets on southern Israel, has so far claimed the lives of 650 Palestinians, at least a quarter of whom are civilians according to the U.N., whilst seven Israeli soldiers and three Israeli civilians have been killed.
    Israel and Hamas had agreed to a three-hour ceasefire this afternoon to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza where many civilians are struggling with power loss and food shortage.
    An Egyptian-proposed ceasefire that has the backing of the European Union and the United States is currently being considered by Israel and Hamas.
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