SHOTLIST:

1. Arrival of Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East at office building of Syrian vice president Farouk Al-Sharaa

2. Photo op with Al-Sharaa

3. SOUNDBITE (English), Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East, "We had a wide ranging discussion about the prospects for peace in the Middle east. I think it's important to talk about peace even in a time of great difficulty in the region as we have seen in the violence in Lebanon and above all in Gaza in the last few days. I think given those developments it's all the more important to talk about peace, and about the possibilities, for example, which are offered by the Arab peace initiative. Although I did discuss with the Vice-President the situation in Lebanon, and I was very pleased to know that the Syrian government issued a very strong condemnation of the tragic assassination which took place in Beirut yesterday evening ++NO CUTAWAY++ I think Israel knows Syria and understands Syria very well. It knows ,if you like, the basis of negotiations, the basis of negotiation that were established in the past going back to the Madrid conference in 1991. And of course there was a long history of negotiation between Israel and Syria in that regard. In one sense it seems to me a lot of the homework has been done and it has been put aside for some years, but I look forward to the moment when Israel and Syria can return to the negotiating table."

4. Michael Williams departing in car

5. Michael Williams arriving in car at foreign ministry building

6. Photo op with Syrian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Walid Moallem

STORYLINE:

A United Nations representative met senior Syrian officials Thursday in Damascus as the turmoil in neighbouring Lebanon threatened to throw the nation back into its darkest era, the 1975-1990 civil war.

Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East met Syrian Vice-President Farouk Al-Sharaa and later the Foreign Minister, Walid Moallem.

Williams was in Damascus the day after the latest deadly attack on an anti-Syrian figure in Lebanon.

"I did discuss with the Vice-President the situation in Lebanon, and I was very pleased to know that the Syrian government issued a very strong condemnation of the tragic assassination which took place in Beirut yesterday evening, " Williams told reporters.

The blast that killed Walid Eido, a Lebanese MP serving with the majority anti-Syria parliamentary bloc, was a new blow to the stability of an already conflict-torn nation.

It came just three days after the government, together with the United Nations, started putting together an international tribunal ordered by the UN Security Council to try suspects in the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut two years ago.

The tribunal has been strongly opposed by Syria and its allies in Lebanon.

Eido was a prominent supporter of the tribunal, a staunch follower of Hariri and the seventh anti-Syrian figure killed in Lebanon in the past two years.

Many in Lebanon have accused Syria of being behind the slayings, a claim Damascus denies.

Lebanon's majority coalition blamed Syria for Wednesday's assassination.

Syria controlled Lebanon for 29 years until it was forced out after Hariri's assassination, and its Lebanese opponents believe it is seeking to regain domination by plunging the country into chaos.

Williams also referred to potential negotiations between Syria and Israel. There have been reports of secret channels of talks between the two enemies.

Syria insists there can only be a negotiated settlement if Israel returns the occupied Golan heights which it captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.

"I think Israel knows Syria and understands Syria very well. It knows ,if you like, the basis of negotiation, the basis of negotiations that were established in the past going back to the Madrid conference in 1991," he said.

"In one sense it seems to me a lot of the homework has been done and it has been put aside for some years, but I look forward to the moment when Israel and Syria can return to the negotiating table," he added.

SHOTLIST:

1. Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East arrives at office building of Syrian vice president Farouk Al-Sharaa

2. Photo op with Al-Sharaa

3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East:

"We have had a wide ranging discussion about the prospects for peace in the Middle East. I think it's important to talk about peace even in a time of great difficulty in the region, as we have seen in the violence in Lebanon and above all in Gaza in the last few days. I think, given those developments it's all the more important to talk about peace, and to talk about the possibilities, for example, which are offered by the Arab peace initiative. Although I did discuss with the Vice-President the situation in Lebanon, and I was very pleased to know that the Syrian government issued a very strong condemnation of the tragic assassination which took place in Beirut yesterday evening

4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Michael Williams, UN envoy to Middle East:

"I think Israel knows Syria, and understands Syria very well. It knows, if you like, the basis of negotiations, the basis of negotiation that were established in the past going back to the Madrid conference in 1991. And of course there was a long history of negotiations between Israel and Syria in that regard. In one sense it seems to me that a lot of the homework has been done and it has been put aside for some years, but I look forward to the moment when Israel and Syria can return to the negotiating table."

5. Michael Williams arriving in car at foreign ministry building

6. Various of Williams sitting with Syrian Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Walid Moallem

STORYLINE:

The United Nations envoy to the Middle East met senior Syrian officials on Thursday in Damascus as the turmoil in neighbouring Lebanon threatened to throw the nation back into its darkest era, the 1975-1990 civil war.

Michael Williams met with both Syria's Vice-President, Farouk Al-Sharaa, and Syria's Foreign Minister, Walid Moallem.

Williams was in Damascus the day after the latest deadly attack on an anti-Syrian figure in Lebanon.

"I was very pleased to know that the Syrian government issued a very strong condemnation of the tragic assassination which took place in Beirut yesterday evening," Williams told reporters.

The blast that killed Walid Eido, a Lebanese MP serving with the majority anti-Syria parliamentary bloc, was a new blow to the stability of an already conflict-torn nation.

It came just three days after the government, together with the United Nations, started putting together an international tribunal ordered by the UN Security Council to try suspects in the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut two years ago.

The tribunal has been strongly opposed by Syria and its allies in Lebanon.

Eido was a prominent supporter of the tribunal, a staunch follower of Hariri and the seventh anti-Syrian figure killed in Lebanon in the past two years.

Many in Lebanon have accused Syria of being behind the slayings, a claim Damascus denies.

Lebanon's majority coalition blamed Syria for Wednesday's assassination.

Syria controlled Lebanon for 29 years until it was forced out after Hariri's assassination, and its Lebanese opponents believe it is seeking to regain domination by plunging the country into chaos.

Williams also referred to potential negotiations between Syria and Israel. There have been reports of secret channels of talks between the two enemies.

Syria insists there can only be a negotiated settlement if Israel returns the occupied Golan heights which it captured from Syria in the 1967 Six Day War.

"I think Israel knows Syria and understands Syria very well. It knows ,if you like, the basis of negotiation, the basis of negotiations that were established in the past going back to the Madrid conference in 1991," Williams said.

"In one sense it seems to me a lot of the homework has been done and it has been put aside for some years, but I look forward to the moment when Israel and Syria can return to the negotiating table," he added.

Israel and Syria suspended talks indefinitely in Jan. 2000.

Syria wanted assurances that Israel would withdraw from the Golan Heights, which it captured during the 1967

Mideast war, and turn over land extending down to the Sea of Galilee.

Israel refused, insisting that issues of security arrangements and normalisation be spelled out first.

SHOTLIST

1. Wide exterior of parliament building in Damascus with troops on parade

2. Various of Syrian President Bashar al Assad's arrival

3. Wide of Assad addressing parliament

5. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar al Assad, Syrian President:

"We stood firmly against the war in Iraq. We opposed to the occupation and insisted on the establishment of a timeline for the withdrawal of the occupying foreign troops. We believe the Iraqi people have the right to resist this occupation, but we also support the political process in Iraq, on the condition that all different sects of Iraqis are represented in that process. We let it be known that we are ready to make every effort to establish a national dialogue in Iraq. Not because we want to please anybody, but because we are sincere in our desire to achieve stability for our brothers in Iraq and the region. Let me make this very clear - our role in Iraq is to help the Iraqi people get through the current national crisis and not to help the occupation forces clean up the mess they are in."

6. Wide of parliament hall - members of parliament applauding

7. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar al Assad, Syrian President:

"The issue of the International Court (to try suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri) is strictly between Lebanon and the United Nations, as far as we are concerned. It does not concern us directly. Syria will not to co-operate, on this or any other issue, if its national sovereignty is threatened in any way."

8. Wide of parliament hall - Members of Parliament applauding

9. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Bashar al Assad, Syrian President:

"We have not seen any progress as far as the peace process is concerned. We have not had any contact with Israel, secret or otherwise, because Israel is not ready on the official and popular level for a just and comprehensive peace, which requires strong leadership that can take decisive decisions, in addition to a mature public opinion that can push their governments in that direction."

10. Wide of parliament hall - members of parliament applauding

11. Assad waving to crowd as members of parliament cheer and applauding

12. Wide of parliament hall - members of parliament cheering and applauding

STORYLINE

Syrian President Bashar al Assad said on Thursday the current Israeli government was weak and not prepared for a just peace with its neighbours.

Addressing the opening of the newly elected parliament, the Syrian leader also denied direct or secret contacts with Israel and stressed the longstanding Syrian demand for withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Golan Heights in return for peace with the Jewish state.

"We have not had any contact with Israel, secret or otherwise, because Israel is not ready on the official and popular level for a just and comprehensive peace, which requires strong leadership that can take decisive decisions, in addition to a mature public opinion that can push their governments in that direction," he said.

He noted that the peace process had failed to progress in the absence of an honest broker, an allusion to the US tilt toward Israel.

Assad also said that Syria would make every effort to help establish a national dialogue in Iraq and restore stability to the country for the sake of the Iraqi people, but stressed his government had no interest in offering support to the US-led coalition forces currently in Iraq.

"We are ready to make every effort to establish a national dialogue in Iraq. Not because we want to please anybody, but because we are sincere in our desire to achieve stability for our brothers in Iraq and the region," Assad said.

"Let me make this very clear - our role in Iraq is to help the Iraqi people get through the current national crisis and not to help the occupation forces clean up the mess they are in," he added.

Assad's comments come on the heels of landmark talks on Iraq between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem, during the International Conference on Iraq.

Officials on both sides were hopeful that the meeting, which took place last week in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, would mark a starting point for a new relationship between the Syria and the US.

Assad also commented on efforts by the members of the Lebanese government to establish an international tribunal to try suspects in the assassination of former Premier Rafik Hariri.

Assad said the matter was "strictly between Lebanon and the United Nations, as far as we are concerned."

It did not, he said, concern Syria directly.

Syria is accused by many of orchestrating the assassination of Hariri, who was vocally opposed to Syria's military and political involvement in Lebanon.

Damascus vehemently denies any involvement.