960416

Iranian, French teams in Syria for Lebanon talks

DAMASCUS: French and Iranian ministers arrived in Damascus on Tuesday as diplomatic efforts to obtain a ceasefire between Israel and Hizbollah guerrillas in Lebanon gathered pace, officials and diplomats said.

They said French Foreign Affairs Minister Herve de Charette and Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammed Kazem Khonsari arrived separately in the Syrian capital to hold separate talks with Syrian leaders on the fighting.

De Charette, sent by French President Jacques Chirac, came from Israel where he met Prime Minister Shimon Peres to discuss how to obtain a ceasefire.

He was due to leave Damascus for Beirut later in the day for talks with Lebanese leaders.

Officials said Khonsari would discuss with Syrian leaders how to secure an end to Israel's bombardment in Lebanon.

"The visit is part of the diplomatic efforts of the Islamic Republic of Iran to stop the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and to extend support to the Lebanese people," an Iranian official said.

He told Reuters the team would hold talks with Syrian leaders later on Tuesday on the latest developments in Lebanon and joint Syrian-Iranian efforts which should be taken.

The delegation would later go to Lebanon, he said.

The Iranian delegation's visit took place shortly after a telephone conversation between De Charette and Iranian Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Akbar Velayati on how to end the fighting.

De Charette told reporters in Jerusalem he had asked Iran to use its influence to bring a speedy end to the conflict.

U.S. President Bill Clinton said on Tuesday the United States was working hard to try to stop the clashes between Israeli forces and the Shi'ite Moslem guerrillas.

But Syria and Iran condemned Washington for backing Israel's assault against Hizbollah, saying the move represented total bias in favour of Israel.

The United States blamed Hizbollah for provoking the flare-up, saying its rocket attacks against northern Israel had led to the Israeli blitz of Lebanon.

Syria, the main foreign power broker in Lebanon where it has some 35,000 troops, is Iran's closest Arab ally.

Tehran has close ties with fellow Shi'ite Hizbollah, which is leading resistance against the Israeli presence in south Lebanon. Hizbollah officials say Tehran has provided them with military, financial and political support.

Syria and Iran have condemned the Israeli attacks and said the Lebanese people had the right to resist Israeli occupation of their lands.-Reuter