On President Bashar al-Assad's visit to France

The French weekly news Bulletin said that President Bashar al-Assad who starts an official visit to France on June 25 will be accompanied by a large delegation including the vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam and the foreign minister Farouk al-Shara as well as a high ranking security delegation including 22 officers.

The Bulletin added that President al-Assad will accompany for the first time a delegation including 50 businessmen. A matter which reveals the importance the Syrian leadership attaches to economic cooperation with France.

The bulletin expected that the two countries will sign 8 technical and economic agreements despite the fact that France is committed to the European framework, noting that the French central bank has experts at the Syrian central bank who offer consultation on the process of re-structuring and organizing the banking sector in Syria.

The Bulletin made it clear that Paris seeks to convince Damascus to lift its opposition to the Mitchell committee report and to the Jordanian- Egyptian initiative or at least to embark on a policy of positive neutrality, noting that the French diplomacy stressed support for Syria's demand which provides for Israel's complete withdrawal from the Golan until June 4, 1967 border line including the eastern northern of Tiberies lake.

The news Bulletin also indicated that France will continue talking about Lebanon with the Syrian leadership on the ground of France's declared position. It added that the French President will visit Syria in December.