Iran presses Assad to follow his father's hardline policies
Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Wednesday, July 26, 2000
NICOSIA -- Iran expects President Bashar Assad to follow the example
of his father both in relations with the Islamic republic and the policy of
confrontation against Israel.
Arab diplomatic sources said the message was relayed to the 34-year-old
new Syrian president during a visit by an envoy of Iranian supreme leader
Ali Khamenei. The envoy, Ali Akbar Velayati, expressed support for Bashar
but made it clear that Teheran expects that he follow the hardline policies
of the late Hafez Assad.
Velayati also urged Bashar to continue Syrian support for Hizbullah.
Hizbullah has declared a temporary ceasefire in the guerrilla campaign
against Israel and Khamenei has urged the Shi'ite group to resume attacks.
On Tuesday, Velayati held talks with Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk
A-Shaara on ways to expand bilateral relations.
Earlier, Bashar told Velayati that he intended to expand Iranian-Syrian
relations. Both countries are engaged in strategic cooperation, including
development and manufacture of ballistic missiles.
Bashar also said he hoped to visit Iran in the near future, the official
Islamic Republic News Agency reported.
In a related development, Assad has welcomed a former chief of staff who
fled Syria amid charges of corruption. Arab diplomatic sources said Assad
met Gen. Hikmat Shihabi and his son, Hazem on Monday after they returned to
Damascus from the U.S. city of Los Angeles.
The sources said the two returned to Damascus on Thursday. They said
Shihabi was told that he will not be prosecuted.
In Beirut, the Lebanese A-Safir daily said the government of Syrian
Prime Minister Mustafa Miro is expected to resign by Thursday. The newspaper
cited the constitution that called for the resignation of the government
upon election of a new president.
Wednesday, July 26, 2000
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