New changes in Syrian security intelligence

The London-based al-Hayat daily said in its Thursday issue that Syrian President Hafez al-Assad released two Presidential decrees several days ago. The first provided for appointing Lt. Gen. Ali Houri as the chief of the general intelligence department and "appointing" the retired Lt. Gen. Muhammad Nasif as an assistant to the department's chief.

Lt. Gen. Houri was assigned the task of heading the general intelligence after Lt. Gen. Bashir al-Najjar was "quitted" in July 1998, and Lt. Gen. Nasif retired last April because "he reached the age of retirement, according to the law which governed the army service in the Syrian armed forces."

Al-Hayat added that Lt. Gen. Nasif was "appointed in his new post as a civil servant without restoring his military grade as a former Lt. Gen."

Meanwhile, well-informed sources in Damascus said President al-Assad also released a decree that provides for appointing Ahmad al-Hallaq as Syria's ambassador to the United Arab Emirates after earlier decrees were released to withdraw seven Syrian ambassadors from several world countries.

The decrees covered withdrawing the Syrian ambassador in Washington, Walid al-Mu'allim; Issa Darwish from Egypt; Lutfallah Haidar from Beijing; Mustafa al-Haj Ali from Kuwait; Abdul Jabbar al-Dahak from Algeria; Ali Hussein from Morocco; and Muhammad al-Mahamid from Sudan.

Well-informed sources in Damascus said the withdrawal of these ambassadors came because they had been in their mission for almost 10 years.

According to Syrian law the mission of the ambassador lasts for six years and can be extended for another two years.

Ambassadors are appointed and their services are terminated in accordance with presidential decrees, while the foreign minister has the authority to appoint a charge d'affairs and below.