Al-Shara conveyed President al-Assad's message to Chirac

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara on Tuesday evening gave French President Jacques Chirac a message from Syrian President Hafez al-Assad on the latest developments in the Middle East, the suspended Middle East peace process, the results of the Geneva summit between President al-Assad and US President Bill Clinton and bilateral relations between the two countries.

President Chirac stressed the importance of continued dialogue and consultation between France and Syria.

After the meeting with President Chirac, al-Shara told reporters that Syria is for an Israeli pullout from south Lebanon if such a pullout is unconditional and to the international borders.

The Syrian foreign minister wondered about Israel's objectives, especially when it combines its plans to withdraw from south Lebanon with flagrant threats.

Earlier in the day, the foreign minister held a round of talks with his French counterpart, Hubert Vedrine, which dealt with the current situation in the Middle East as well as the French and the European role in the region.

The two foreign ministers discussed the best means of achieving a just and comprehensive peace in addition to the development of bilateral relations, especially Arab-French relations.