Syria responds favourably to Reagan invitation

Press, 27 June 1987, Page 10

Syria responds favourably to Reagan invitation

NZPA-Reuter Washington

President Ronald Reagan has written to Syrian President Hafez alAssad suggesting discussions aimed at improving relations, and the invitation has won a favourable response, an administration official said yesterday.' The official said Mr Reagan’s proposal, disclosed earlier by the State Department, “has been received favourably” in Damascus. He would not specify whether Mr Reagan had received a letter of acceptance from President Assad.

Mr Reagan’s letter was sent last week,: just after the kidnapping in Beirut of an American journalist, Charles Glass, a department spokesman, Phyllis Oakley, said. Syria has been making vigorous efforts to win Glass’s release from pfoIranian fundamentalists believed to be holding him. Two men kidnapped with him, Ali Osseiran, the son of Lebanon’s Defence Minister and their police driver, were freed

yesterday.,; - Other administration Officials, who asked not to be identified, refused to confirm reports that a special American envoy was ready to travel to Syria as early as next week for wide-ranging discussions.

“If the Syrians are prepared to play a constructive role in ■ the region, there are a lot of things they could . do that are quite positive,” one official said.

He noted the Syrians have a wide influence in Lebanon, where they have 7000 soldiers, and have been involved in efforts to free foreign hostages including nine Americans. Mr Reagan’s suggestion of discussions with Damascus should be seen in the context of over-all relations with Syria, another official said.

“We have lots of things to discuss with them including Middle East peace prospects, the Gulf War, the hostages and terrorism,” the official said.

Any American mission to Damascus would prob-

ably be led by Richard ;;, 1 Murphy/’ the ‘ Assistant ; Secretary of State for Near East and South East Asia affairs, who was recently in the area arid is scheduled'to meet Soviet representatives in Geneva early in July for talks about the Middle East. Earlier yesterday,' the Ambassador; f. Paul': Bremer, who heads the United States counter-

terrorism programme, told a news conference, “We have been in touch with the Syrian Government, that's. right.” Mr Bremer did not mention the Reagan letter. .

He also said he believed the kidnappers were aiming specifically for Glass — and not the two other men taken hos-

tage with him. ; ; •.< Mr Bremer spoke at a irews conference after delivering a speech on terrorism to the International ■ Association of Airline. Security Officers. He refused to discuss the substance of the United States-Syrian ’ contacts or other aspects of the Glass case.

Asked \if Syria, which the Reagan Administration has -often accused of ; support for terrorism, had been helpful in the Glass case, Mr Bremer said: “I think the Syrian Government, as they have said publicly, was trying to effect the safe release of the, three hostages taken a . week - ago. So. far they . have hot been successful, 'unfortunately.” “■; Z Glass and the other two men were kidnapped by ~ gunmen last week in the suburbs of Beirut. Mr Osseiran and the driver were released yesterday but Glass, a 36-year-old father of five who formerly worked for American television, was still being held. Glass’s wife, Fiona, told Reuters in London that Mr Osseiran’s father, had told, her that President Assad was taking a close interest in the case. Sources close to the Syrians say Glass’s kid- • nappers were the same pro-Iranian ' Shi’ite Muslims that are holding some of the other 28 foreigners missing in Lebanon.