News-Info-Alerts

Re: US Senator Nelson & Syria

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci

(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Date: April 05, 2002

"Nelson discusses Middle East, missing pilot with Syrian leader

JACKSONVILLE -- Sen. Bill Nelson asked Syrian President Bashar Assad on Thursday to discuss with Iraq the case of a missing American pilot during the senator's trip to the Middle East.

Nelson, in a telephone call from Syria's capital Damascus, said he brought up the case of Lt. Cmdr. Scott Speicher when Assad was addressing the situation in Iraq.

"I asked him to use his good offices to call on Iraq to see if he could get information on Lt. Cmdr. Speicher," said Nelson, who is touring the region with the Senate Intelligence Committee.

Assad said he would ask Iraq about the pilot, whose FA-18 Hornet was shot down Jan. 17, 1991 on the first night of the Gulf War, said Nelson, a Florida Democrat.

Speicher, who was stationed at Cecil Field Naval Air Station in Jacksonville, was first listed as killed in action. His status was changed last year to missing in action. U.S. intelligence officials have said Speicher was either captured alive or his remains were covered by the Iraqis. Informants have told officials that Speicher was being held as a prisoner when the war ended in March 1991.

Committee members met with Assad for almost two hours Thursday and discussed many issues, including the apparent increase of Syrian troops on its border with Lebanon, Nelson said.

"He said it was defensive and not an offensive effort," Nelson said.

Nelson said the senators thanked Assad for his war against terrorism and al-Qaida, but that there was disagreement between the senators and Assad over Syria's support of Hezbollah, which is involved in the Palestinians' battles against Israel.

"Hezbollah ... is a terrorist organization," Nelson said. "We told him the American people believe Syria has sided with extremist elements."

Nelson was visiting Assad when President Bush demanded Thursday that Israel pull back its troops from Palestinian cities it occupied in recent days and called on Arab nations to crack down on terrorists.

"The violence is escalating. There could be a huge explosion if the violence is not curtailed," Nelson said.

The senators have visited Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Syria and will visit Turkey Friday.

© 2002 News-Journal Corporation"