DAMASCUS - King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain are to visit Syria in the autumn, Spanish Economy Minister Rodrigo Rato said here Monday.
Rato told a news conference that he had informed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad of the visit.
Assad and his wife Asma paid an official visit to Spain in May 2001 - the couple's first to a Western country after Assad took power in July 2000.
Rato, who arrived in Damascus Sunday night, said his own visit also aimed to "strengthen economic relations" between the two countries, particularly in the tourism, transport and industry sectors.
He said Spain supports Syria "economically and politically", adding that Damascus is important in the quest for peace in the Middle East.
Spain also supports talks to broker a partnership agreement between Syria and the European Union, the minister said.
A Syrian-Spanish accord giving Damascus five million dollars was signed Monday, Rato added.
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