Fts-3 - - - ri g V. 12 Sep BI [CIA HAS NO OBJECTION TO DECLASSIFICATION Approved for Release: 2018/09/17 C00036695EASE OF THIS DOCUMENT DATE: SYRIA DER SPIEGEL Interviews Defense Minister Tabu DW111339 Hamburg DER SPIEGEL la Gerrresaa le Sip /4 pp 134-144 (Interview with Defense Minister Mature Tilts 6( PER SPIEGEL rrespondents Slogan- und Von Ilsemann and Adel S. Elias in Damascus; date not given] (Eecerpts] DER SPIEGEL: Is tee potitical influence of the Army not suffering from the lad of military PACC434.CN to date? Teat: Nonsertse, that is ell rumors, What the prat Pas fab- ncs ted about this lately is nauseating. There is just one president in Syria, Faro a!-Asad. He is the supreme commander of the Arrnal Forces and secretary seaml of the Beth Party. Write in DER SPIEGEL verbatim 7� there is no military winenor any party wing in our country. DER SPIEGEL: What is the story about the president's brother, Rifal? Tiles: 'four president tells somebody to scram to Geneva, then that person goes to Geneva. Anycen who lays no to President al- Asad is beheaded. The man whose name you mentioned is persona non rata forever in our countr). If this person had not gone abroad, the Army would have ;truck. Our state is strong. Even Kissinger conceded in his memoirs: "We made every effort to overthrow Hartz al-Asad its Syria, but the regime is powerful and strong, and we had tc abandon our plan." DER SPIEGEL: According to expert opinion, brad is very probably in possession of nuclear weapons. What pouibilities does Syria have to counteract this danger? Tatas: We are convinced that lira ell hal nuclear weapons. The Americans have made the !irelis's CTCSS to them easy. They are cooperating very closely with Israel in nuclear technology. If Israel uses nuclear weapons, it alone will he responsible. For such an event, the Soviet Union has given us a guarantee that it will let us have nuclear weapons with which we can reply to such a destructive strike. DER SPIEGEL: What kind of weapons systems arc these? Tales: We can use surface-to-surface or air-to-ground missiles for that purpose. In any ease, the Soviets can make available to us the means that will enable us to give a nuclear response. If Israel resorts to nuclear weapon, it will be the sok loser and in no event the winner. DER SP1EGEL: Who would carr, out the retaliation strike � the Syrians or the Russians? Talas: We, not the Russians, will repulse the Israelis. Wt would even risk Our lives to gain possession of some nuclear weapons with which we could reach Israel, Can you give me a plausible reason wh) we should not do this in the event Israel uses nuclear weapons first? DER SPIEGEL' This would then be the prelude to world conflagration. Approved Date ' Approved for 05-01-2017 HI . . Tales; As long as the Americars blindly suppo-rt [welch paey,, there is a fuse for world War. Talas Denies DER SPIEGEL Report IN111825 Paris Rarfier Monte Carlo In Arabic 1803 cmr Sep 84 [Text/ DER SPIEGEL magazine published a Itiltrrlirit attrib- uted to Syrian Defense Minister Genera/ Mustafa Tales that Syrian Vice President Rirat aloksad is persona non grata in Syria. Of course, this statement raised a hue and cry. So far, tbc Syrian capital has not commented on this statement. However, Dr Khalil Ahmad, official apokesman for Rirat al-Arad's infor- mation office, a Rimed that the Syrian vice president is currently Ii Geneva for health reams end that Rirat al-As/era treatment kJ made it necessary to emend his stay abroad for sonic time. His return to Syria will take place very soon and he will resume his national duties Ixside President Hafa alocuad. Dr Khalil Alimad added that in a contact with Dr Rirat al.Asad, Gen Talat denounced what was said on his behalf in the mag- azine with respect to Dr al-Asad and expressed surprise that a magazine such 145 DER SPIEGEL had forged facts. Gen Tales added: How can !tell a magaziae something which my govern- ment tad my superiors haw not authorized me to say? Rifat al-A.ead Bad la Galatea NC111448 Parts AFP in Ertatillt 1443 GMT 11 Sep 84 (EaterptIGeneva, Sep II (AFP)� Rirat aT-Asad, the brother of Syrian President Hartz al-Asasd, has returned here quietly arta a brief private visit to Paris, reliable sources said, under- scoring rumors he has fallen from favor. Rirat al-Asad, once touted as i possible successor to his brother. Brit arrived in Geneva on June I after an official visit to the Soviet Union where he had headed a large Syrian delegation. But he has remained in Switzerland, living in a private villa on the left bank of Lake Geneva. Last month be left for France at the invitation of former Prime Minister Pierre Matiros but report- edly did not meet with any French officials during his stay, Sources said be enroled several of his children in French schools and he is said to have a home in the town of Saint Nom la Bre:eche, outside Paris. President al-Asad Receives Argentine Official ./N/ 11233 Damascus Domevie Service in Arabic 1115 GMT 11 Sep 84 [Text] Damascus � At 1330 today, President Hafiz al-Asad received Ricardo Daud, the Argentine deputy who is of Syrian origin. Argentine Ambassador in Damascus Andres Ceuster- mans attended Da ud conveyed tc-President al-Asad a message (corn Argentine President Raul Alfonsin dealing with bilateral relations. President al-Asad accepted the message with thanks and asked hull so convey a reply message and greetings to the Argentine people and the brother Arab expatriates in Argentina. tor etst opt JUN 198 Release: 2018/09/17 C00036695 4

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DER SPIEGEL INTERVIEWS DEFENSE MINISTER TALAS (SYRIA) - 1984/09/10