TEHRAN -- German Foreign Minister criticized Syria for their utilization of the visit of Pope John Paul II as an instrument of propaganda. According to the reports, the German foreign minister accused Syria of abusing the trip of the Pope for propagating against the Zionist regime.The Foreign Minister made his remarks during a ceremony held to inaugurate the Embassy of Israel in Berlin.

Based on the same report, the German minister also expressed regret over the anti-Zionist messages of the international conference for supporting Palestinian Intifada and called the aim behind the sponsoring of the conference to be developing and encouraging terrorism.