Al-Assad heads for Paris today

President Bashar al-Assad, and his wife, today ( Monday) heads for Paris in a state visit to the French republic at the invitation of the French President Jacques Chirac during which he will hold talks with the French President and with the Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

The President is accompanied by an official delegation including vice- President Abdul Halim Khaddam, the Foreign minister farouk al-Shara, the minister of the economy and foreign trade Muhammad al- Imadi the minister of higher education Hassan Risheh, the minister of transport Makram Obeid and the Syrian ambassador in Paris Elias Najmah.