Tokyo, August 29, 1985

Excellency,

I have the honour to express my profound gratitude to Your Excellency for the cordial welcome you extended to me during my recent visit to the Syrian Arab Republic and for receiving me at a time when you were so occupied with pressing affairs of state; in spite of the fact that my visit was arranged at such a short notice.

I am particularly thankful to Your Excellency for allowing me to have a frank and fruitful exchange of views with you on international issues of our mutual concern including international terrorism.  Such candid discussions on this sensitive political matter, I am sure, are evidence that close ties have developed between our two countries. I heartily hope that my visit will have contributed to the furtherance of mutual understanding between the two countries.

Upon my return to Tokyo, I made a detailed report to Prime Minister Nakasone on my talks with Your Excellency, and he expressed deep satisfaction with them.

I wish to reiterate my deep gratitude to Your Excellency and to convey, through you, to the Syrian Government my sincere appreciation for its kind consideration for me.

I look forward to seeing you once again in mid September on the occasion of the Japan Week to be held in Damascus which, I believe, will further deepen mutual understanding between our two peoples.

Accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest consideration and my best wishes for your continued good health and the lasting prosperity of the people of the Syrian Arab Republic.

Yoshihiro Nakayama

His Excellency Hafez Al-Assad

President of the Syrian Arab Republic