Viktor Yushchenko and Bashar al-Assad

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovich, right, and President of Syria Bashar al-Assad during meeting in Kiev, on Friday, December 3, 2010. President of Syria visited Kiev. President of Ukraine and President of the Syrian Arab Republic held a tete-a-tete meeting. Welcoming the distinguished guest in Kyiv, President of Ukraine stressed the importance of his visit to Ukraine in the context of development of constructive Ukrainian-Syrian relations. "I consider this visit friendly and the one that opens a new page in relations between Ukraine and Syria," Viktor Yanukovich said. From his part, the President of Syria said that he is very glad to visit Ukraine, where he is for the first time. He also acclaimed the achievements of his Ukrainian counterpart, as the President of Ukraine. "I would really like this visit to give additional impetus to our bilateral relations, and hope that it will," Bashar al-Assad said. Photo by Mikhail Markiv / POOL / UNIAN