DATE=6/10/2000 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT TITLE=SYRIA ASSAD (L) NUMBER=2-263352 BYLINE=LISA BRYANT DATELINE=CAIRO CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: Syria's long-time leader, Hafez al-Assad, died today/Saturday following a long illness. He was 69. From Cairo, Lisa Bryant reports that Syria's parliament already appears to be opening the way for President Assad's son, Bashar, to assume the presidency. TEXT: News of President Assad's death was announced on Syrian state television by a tearful anchorman. This is a day of sadness, the announcer said. He added that Mr. Assad has left a legacy that will shine on Syria's present and future generations. The announcement was followed by televised shots of somber members of Syria's parliament wiping away tears for their departed leader and with recitations from the Koran. But the parliament then went straight to business. Lawmakers passed an article amending Syria's constitution to lower the required age for a head of state from 40 to 34. That is the age of Mr. Assad's son, Bashar. Mr. Assad reportedly had been grooming Bashar for the presidency. Bashar Assad, who is a trained eye doctor, has never held a prominent political post. The younger Assad was expected to assume a leadership position in Syria's ruling Baath party later this month. But analysts say they believe his possible candidacy as leader may still face opposition within Syria's power structure. President Assad reportedly had been suffering from heart, kidney and other problems. Speculation has been rife in recent months that he was seriously ill. Following his death, a Syrian expert told the Agence- France Presse news agency that Mr. Assad had been suffering from advanced diabetes that affected his eyes and his circulation. Although Mr. Assad began peace negotiations with Israel late last year, he died without cinching a peace accord with that country. The two sides have been deadlocked over Syria's insistence for a full Israeli withdrawal from the Golan Heights. But Damascus has recently demonstrated more flexibility on another piece of disputed territory -- called the Shebaa Farms -- saying Israel could hand the land over either to Syria or to Lebanon. Mr. Assad's passing follows a string of recent deaths by long-term Arab leaders that is shifting the power equation in the region to a younger generation. Besides the Syrian leader, long-serving heads of state from Jordan, Morocco and Bahrain have also died over the past year and a half. (SIGNED) NEB/LB/JP 10-Jun-2000 13:49 PM EDT (10-Jun-2000 1749 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .
