WORLD, Page 30Following an Independent CourseBreaking his silence, Syria's Assad talks about Arafat, Khomeiniand hostagesBy Hafez Assad, Karsten Prager, John F. Stacks, Dean Fischer,David S. Jackson
His troops are mired in the unending civil war in Lebanon,
where 13 Western hostages are being held. Against his wishes,
P.L.O. Chairman Yasser Arafat has recognized Israel's right to
exist. The U.S. and Britain chastise him for harboring a
Palestinian guerrilla group, some of whose members are leading
suspects in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103. Yet Syria's wily
President Hafez Assad appeared unruffled and even jovial last week,
as he maneuvered through the region's perilous political landscape
for three hours in a rare interview with TIME Assistant Managing
Editors Karsten Prager and John F. Stacks, Cairo bureau chief Dean
Fischer and correspondent David S. Jackson. Excerpts:
Q. Do the Palestinian uprising and the U.S.-P.L.O. dialogue
increase Syria's isolation from the rest of the Arab world?
A. No. We don't see any linkage. In the conflict between the
Arabs and the Israelis, relations cannot be described in terms of
isolation or non-isolation. Syria could have opened the door to
discussions with Israel, and Israel would have welcomed that. Egypt
extended its hand in the past, but when Anwar Sadat visited
Jerusalem, it did not affect our policy toward Israel. No other
separate action will have that effect.
Q. You have criticized Yasser Arafat for pursuing a policy of
concessions. But in light of the U.S.-P.L.O. dialogue, hasn't his
policy helped the peace process?
A. We are interested in a just peace. So far, we have not seen
a thing to convince us that Arafat has brought peace nearer.
Q. If Arafat produced results, would you admit you were wrong?
A. No. Our position toward the Palestinian cause did not begin
with the creation of the P.L.O. We believe Israel has aspirations
beyond Palestinian territory. Israel aspires to the establishment
of a state from the Nile to the Euphrates.
Q. The Israelis think Syria has expansionist aims.
A. Our aspiration is to create pan-Arab unity from Mauritania
to the gulf. Arabs have a common language and history. You can
scarcely find a family in Lebanon that does not have relatives in
Syria. We are one people. But Israel is another story. The Israelis
are an alien people with another heritage and another history.
Q. Has Syria learned anything about the hostages in Lebanon?
A. First, we do not know their location. Second, we don't know
who the kidnapers are. Any miscalculation in approaching this
matter may result in the death of hostages rather than in saving
their lives. In the past, a number of our soldiers were killed in
attempts to find the hostages, but despite that we could not find
them. A number of hostages have been released with our help, but
we could not help all of them. We hope in the future our efforts
will help all of them as it has helped those in the past.
Q. Doesn't Syria's sponsorship of organizations such as the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command
(P.F.L.P.-G.C.), which is suspected in the Pan Am bombing, hurt
your image around the world?
A. Suspicions don't affect our positions. If people judged one
another based only on suspicions, we would see a new world war
break out every day just on the basis of suspicions. Nobody can
prove P.F.L.P.-G.C. involvement in the matter. No one has any
evidence. If there is something new in the matter, whoever produces
it, we hope he will let us know about it.
Q. Then what would you do?
A. If the one who has committed that action is on our
territory, he will be held accountable, and he will be brought to
judgment. If it is proved that this action comes from the
leadership of the P.F.L.P.-G.C., then we will deal with this matter
at that time. We must distinguish between an individual action and
an official action. I find it extremely unlikely that the
P.F.L.P.-G.C. can be behind this action, because this group more
than any other concentrates its activities totally on the occupied
territories.
Q. What is Syria's position on Ayatullah Khomeini's death
sentence against Salman Rushdie?
A. I am not a clergyman or a judge. Ayatullah Khomeini is a
believer, a Muslim holy man. What he says relies on Islamic
principles and rules he believes in. He discusses matters in ways
different from the way you and I discuss issues. There are Islamic
provisions which apply to cases like that of Rushdie. But
irrespective of other issues, Rushdie as a human being is a bad
fellow, and his behavior provokes suspicion.
Q. Is Syria prepared to allow Egypt to be re-admitted to the
Arab League, and also to restore diplomatic relations with Egypt?
A. (Laughing) What have you left for the Arab summit conference
to deal with? For the time being, our situation with Egypt can be
termed positive. But regarding our position on whether or not Egypt
should re-enter the Arab League, this is going to be discussed at
the Arab summit conference. At that time, we will express our
opinion.
Q. Do you expect Syria to restore diplomatic relations with
Egypt?
A. This is a very premature question.
Q. When you were an air force pilot, you had a classmate by
the name of Hosni Mubarak.
A. I liked Hosni Mubarak the officer.
Q. But not Hosni Mubarak the Egyptian President?
A. We were on good terms. We spoke the same language, the
language of pilots.
Q. Are you not speaking the same language anymore?
A. We are still speaking the same language, but neither of us
is hearing the other.
Q. Perhaps you will speak the same language again.
