The Syrian President is being greeted by Jean Tiberi, the Mayor of Paris, on July 17, 1998. To the far left is Dr Elias Nejme, the Syrian Ambassador to France. Next to him is Salim Yassin, the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs. Standing behind Nejme is Dr Mohammad al-Imadi, the Syrian Minister of Economy, and standing between Asad and Tiberi is Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Shara.