DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday paid tribute to Pope John Paul II's contributions to peace, justice and inter-faith dialogue and is planning to attend the pontiff's funeral.
"It is expected that President Assad will represent Syria at the pope's funeral," an official Syrian source told AFP.
Assad hailed the late pontiff for devoting his life "to establishing peace and justice in the world ... and (promoting) a dialogue between religions and civilisations," state-run SANA news agency reported.
Assad, in a message addressed to Cardinal Angelo Sedano, the pope secretary of state, also expressed his "deep sadness" and recalled the pope's visit to Syria in 2001, as part of a millenium tour of holy sites in the region.
During the visit to Syria, John Paul II became the first pope to visit a mosque when he toured the Great Mosque of Damascus.
John Paul II "spoke clearly in favour of understanding between Christianity and Islam and had backed the rights of the Palestinian people, and all peoples, to a free and independent homeland", Assad said in message.
"The world will speak for a long time about the spiritual and human mission of Pope John Paul II," he added.
04/03/2005 16:46 GMT