The French Jewish umbrella organization CRIF has deplored an invitation to Syria’s president Bashir al-Assad to attend national day celebrations on 14 July in Paris. In a statement, CRIF denounced the fact that "France is inviting to its National Day celebrating human rights the president of Syria, who is permanently ridiculing them.” CRIF recalls the fact that "Damascus supports and harbors terrorist organizations, uses political assassination in Lebanon and elsewhere, and prides itself of its alliance with Iran which looks to acquire the nuclear weapon to destroy Israel and destabilize its neighbors."
French President Sarkozy has invited leaders from all countries bordering the Mediterranean to a summit in Paris on 13 July to launch the so-called Mediterranean Union. “We have taken the initiative to hold a summit of the Mediterranean. As far as I know, Syria is a Mediterranean country," Sarkozy told a joint press conference with US president George Bush in Paris last week.
On Saturday, the French president called on Damascus to distance itself from Iran and its nuclear program. "Syria should distance itself as much as possible from Iran in its quest for a nuclear weapon,” Sarkozy said. Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert has also been invited to the Paris gathering, which will mark the first major event starting the French EU presidency.
