France Backs Syria's Strategic Choice for PeaceFrench President Jacques Chirac demonstrated France's support to Syria's strategic choice for peace when he attended the state funeral of President Hafez Assad in the Syrian capital of Damascus Tuesday, said a spokesman of the French Foreign Ministry.Chirac was the only Western head of state present at the funeral. The spokesman said that what is important is to support Syria's strategic choice for peace, which Damascus made at the Madrid Conference on the Middle East in 1991. "The presence of President Chirac, accompanied by Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine, at the funeral of President Assad is intended to express the commitment of France to support the peace process at a crucial moment for the region and in the wake of the Israeli pullout from southern Lebanon," said the spokesman. "We want a comprehensive peace that includes all wings of the peace process and cannot be accomplished without Syria, a key element for this peace," he added. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://www.peopledaily.com.cn/english/ |