Syrian leader's speech a blow for Blair

By PAUL WAUGH and ANDREW BUNCOMBE

RIYADH - British Prime Minister Tony Blair's vision of a new world order came up against cold political reality yesterday when Syria condemned the military strikes on Afghanistan, and hailed Palestinian "freedom fighters".

In a diplomatic embarrassment for Blair, President Bashar al-Assad delivered a public rebuff and the first serious setback to Blair's round of shuttle diplomacy, declaring the "hundreds" of civilian casualties in Afghanistan were unacceptable.

With Blair standing uneasily beside him, Assad compared the "liberation struggle" of militant Palestinian groups to De Gaulle's efforts to liberate France from the Nazis.

His remarks are guaranteed to ensure Blair will face an even frostier reception in Jerusalem today in a fresh effort to restart the stalled Middle East peace process. He was due to meet Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, after a whirlwind tour of Syria, Saudi Arabia and Jordan.

Following a meeting with King Fahd in Riyadh, after his visit to Syria, Blair appeared to confirm reports that the Saudis had agreed to allow the use of a US air base to coordinate attacks on Afghanistan.

However, it was his trip to Damascus, the first by a British premier, that produced the first big setback to his globetrotting efforts to strengthen the coalition against international terrorism.

Following a "candid dialogue" with Assad, Blair was forced to endure a joint press conference in which the Syrian leader roundly condemned civilian deaths and injuries in Kabul and Kandahar.

The Taleban claim 1500 civilians have died in the airstrikes.

Assad also suggested the the US was wrong to target Osama bin Laden. "Terrorism works as a network. It doesn't have a certain person as its head."

Syria is still on the US blacklist of nations accused of sponsoring terrorism, and Blair arrived in Damascus with a plea for Assad to use his influence to restrain groups such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, which murdered Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Zeevi two weeks ago.

But Assad suggested groups such as the PFLP were fighting a war against Israeli terrorism.

"Stopping violence is perhaps necessary to achieving peace, but it's not the most important thing.

"Resisting occupation is an international right nobody can deny and, therefore, we have many organisations, many people in support of liberation and resistance fighters who seek to liberate their lands."

Assad said the current international consensus was a "golden opportunity" for the West to undertake genuine action against all terrorism, including Israeli terrorism, and made clear Syria had not given its support for a "war" on Afghanistan.

"We condemn terrorism, but we did not say we support an international coalition for war."

Blair's entourage insisted Assad's remarks were unsurprising and preferred instead to point out that Syria was more conciliatory in private than in public. "I think there's a far greater understanding than many believe," Blair said later.

Blair admitted to colleagues later that his latest diplomatic tour was "risky" but worthwhile. "You can either stand by the sidelines or you can try to engage," he said. "I was saying to him, if you want us to help restart the peace process in the Middle East, you've got to help. He said if you want moderate Islamic states to move on extremists, you have to help us. That's what I call the understanding."

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