Syrian foreign ministry summons US, French ambassadors on Israeli bloody practices

A Syrian official spokesman said on Tuesday that Syria expresses its astonishment at what is included in the statement of the US state department's spokesman concerning the speech made by President Bashar al-Assad upon receiving His Holiness Pope John Paul II.

The Syrian foreign ministry summoned the US ambassador to Damascus after summoning the French ambassador. The foreign ministry explained to the two ambassadors that the US and French statements made to this effect have been built on misinterpretation and ignorance of the details of what was said during the successful historic visit of the Pope to Syria.

The Syrian official spokesman confirmed that while nobody can cancel the historical facts, the President's speech did not refer by name to Jews. This is because the President did not intent to defame or instigate against followers of any heavenly religion. The aim was in the essence to give humanitarian view of the future by halting the bloody practices committed by the Israeli authorities on a daily basis against the defenseless Palestinian people. Because these practices do not constitute the road towards the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace in the region.

The spokesman referred to what is repeated from time to time concerning accusing Arabs of anti- Semitism, saying that such accusations ignore the fact that Arabs are Semites.

The Syrian official spokesman added that this anti- Syrian campaign is meant to provide a cover for the Israeli government's anti Ðpeace policies. It aims to obstruct the positive reaction about the Pope's visit to Syria in our region in particular, and in the world in general, as well as his calls for the establishment of a just and comprehensive peace on the basis of self Ð determination, respect of the international legitimacy, the non- acquisition of others' land by force and the implementation of UN resolutions.