DATE=7/16/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235549
TITLE= FRANCE SYRIA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=JULIAN NUNDY
DATELINE=PARIS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SYRIA'S PRESIDENT HAFEZ AL-ASSAD, ON A RARE VISIT TO THE
WEST, IS DUE IN PARIS (LATER--EDS: 13 HRS UTC) THURSDAY FOR A
TWO-DAY STATE VISIT TO FRANCE. JEWISH GROUPS PLAN PROTESTS
DURING HIS STAY BECAUSE THEY ALLEGE SYRIA HAS BEEN HARBORING A
NAZI WAR CRIMINAL. JULIAN NUNDY REPORTS FROM PARIS.
TEXT: RELATIONS BETWEEN FRANCE AND SYRIA HAVE OFTEN BEEN TENSE.
THEY WERE AT THEIR WORST AFTER THE FRENCH AMBASSADOR TO LEBANON
WAS ASSASSINATED IN BEIRUT IN 1981 BY GUNMEN WHO OPENED FIRE
WITHIN SIGHT OF A SYRIAN ARMY CHECKPOINT.
FRENCH SECURITY SERVICES CONCLUDED THAT THE KILLING OF AMBASSADOR
LOUIS DELAMARE WAS THE WORK OF SYRIA BECAUSE OF ANGER IN DAMASCUS
OVER THE DIPLOMAT'S CONTACTS WITH THE PALESTINE LIBERATION
ORGANIZATION.
THE VISIT BY PRESIDENT HAFEZ AL-ASSAD TO PARIS THEREFORE SETS THE
SEAL ON A NEW RECONCILIATION BETWEEN FRANCE AND SYRIA. IT ALSO
COMES AT A TIME WHEN SPECULATION IS RIFE OVER WHO WILL SUCCEED
MR. ASSAD, WHO HAS LED HIS COUNTRY FOR 28 YEARS.
SYRIA RECENTLY CONCLUDED AN ASSOCIATION AGREEMENT WITH THE
EUROPEAN UNION, OBTAINING PRIVILEGED ACCESS TO EUROPEAN MARKETS.
SYRIAN OFFICIALS ARE SAID TO WANT EUROPE IN GENERAL, AND FRANCE
IN PARTICULAR, TO PLAY A MORE ACTIVE ROLE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND
ACT AS A COUNTERWEIGHT TO AMERICAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL.
MR. ASSAD'S VISIT TO PARIS FOLLOWS TALKS THAT FRENCH PRESIDENT
JACQUES CHIRAC HAD WITH THE SYRIAN LEADER IN DAMASCUS IN 1996 AND
A JOINT FRENCH-EGYPTIAN CALL TWO MONTHS AGO FOR A NEW INITIATIVE
TO RE-LAUNCH MIDDLE EAST PEACE EFFORTS.
ASIDE FROM THE DIPLOMATIC ISSUES, MR. ASSAD'S VISIT TO PARIS IS
PROMPTING PROTESTS BY JEWISH GROUPS AND LEBANESE LIVING IN FRANCE
WHO OPPOSE THE SYRIAN ARMY'S PRESENCE IN LEBANON.
THE FRENCH JEWISH NAZI-HUNTER SERGE KLARSFELD PLANS
DEMONSTRATIONS TO CALL ON SYRIA TO DELIVER FOR TRIAL ALOIS
BRUNNER -- A WORLD WAR TWO NAZI OFFICER. IF STILL ALIVE, MR.
BRUNNER WOULD BE 87-YEARS-OLD.
MR. KLARSFELD HAS LONG ALLEGED THAT SYRIA IS SHIELDING A MAN WHO
WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DEPORTATION OF THOUSANDS OF JEWS TO NAZI
CONCENTRATION CAMPS AND EVEN RAN THE DRANCY TRANSIT CAMP NEAR
PARIS, THROUGH WHICH FRENCH JEWS PASSED ON THEIR WAY TO NEAR
CERTAIN DEATH.
IN AN INTERVIEW WITH FRANCE'S "TF1" TELEVISION CHANNEL, HOWEVER,
PRESIDENT ASSAD DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THE FORMER NAZI OFFICER'S
WHEREABOUTS, SAYING HE WAS UNAWARE OF HIS PRESENCE IN SYRIA.
FRENCH OFFICIALS, HOWEVER, SAY THAT MR. BRUNNER NOT ONLY RECEIVED
ASYLUM IN DAMASCUS, BUT WAS EVEN AN ADVISOR TO THE SYRIAN
SECURITY SERVICES. (SIGNED)
NEB/JWN/PCF
16-Jul-98 7:46 AM EDT (1146 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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