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| Leaders mass for parade in Paris | Leaders mass for parade in Paris |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Leaders from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa have been attending France's Bastille Day military parade. | Leaders from Europe, the Middle East and North Africa have been attending France's Bastille Day military parade. |
| United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the guest of honour, while two units of UN peacekeepers were leading the traditional march. | United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon was the guest of honour, while two units of UN peacekeepers were leading the traditional march. |
| But President Nicolas Sarkozy aroused controversy by inviting President Bashar Assad of Syria, a country accused of supporting terrorism. | But President Nicolas Sarkozy aroused controversy by inviting President Bashar Assad of Syria, a country accused of supporting terrorism. |
| Mr Sarkozy also gave a top award to ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt. | Mr Sarkozy also gave a top award to ex-hostage Ingrid Betancourt. |
| Ms Betancourt, who was rescued from Colombian rebels earlier this month, was to receive the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, one of France's top civilian awards. | Ms Betancourt, who was rescued from Colombian rebels earlier this month, was to receive the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour, one of France's top civilian awards. |
| Ms Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate, has strong links with France, having grown up and raised her children there. | Ms Betancourt, a former Colombian presidential candidate, has strong links with France, having grown up and raised her children there. |
| class="" href="/1/hi/in_pictures/7506005.stm">In pictures: Bastille Day parade | |
| The parade followed a weekend in which President Sarkozy launched the Union for the Mediterranean, a new international body with 43 member nations aimed at increasing co-operation between the EU and African and Middle Eastern countries bordering the Mediterranean. | The parade followed a weekend in which President Sarkozy launched the Union for the Mediterranean, a new international body with 43 member nations aimed at increasing co-operation between the EU and African and Middle Eastern countries bordering the Mediterranean. |
| It is meant to tackle regional issues such as immigration and pollution, but will also seek to help end unrest in the Middle East. | It is meant to tackle regional issues such as immigration and pollution, but will also seek to help end unrest in the Middle East. |
| Many of the leaders who attended that summit on Sunday stayed on for the Bastille Day celebrations. | Many of the leaders who attended that summit on Sunday stayed on for the Bastille Day celebrations. |
| They included Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak. | They included Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak. |
| Veterans angered | |
| But Mr Assad's presence angered a French veterans' group, which accuses Syria of being behind a 1983 bomb attack on a Beirut building that killed 58 French soldiers. | But Mr Assad's presence angered a French veterans' group, which accuses Syria of being behind a 1983 bomb attack on a Beirut building that killed 58 French soldiers. |
| "We feel uneasy" about French soldiers filing past the Syrian leader, said Jean-Luc Hemar, head of the Association of Veterans from Camp Idron in central France. | "We feel uneasy" about French soldiers filing past the Syrian leader, said Jean-Luc Hemar, head of the Association of Veterans from Camp Idron in central France. |
| Mr Sarkozy is one of those politicians who is full of surprises because he is always campaigning Mardell blog: New Med voyageMuted praise for Med plan | Mr Sarkozy is one of those politicians who is full of surprises because he is always campaigning Mardell blog: New Med voyageMuted praise for Med plan |
| The bombing "will cast a shadow over the 14th of July", he said. | The bombing "will cast a shadow over the 14th of July", he said. |
| Opposition Socialist leader Francois Hollande said the national day - which recollects the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 at the start of the French Revolution - was being "tainted by controversy". | Opposition Socialist leader Francois Hollande said the national day - which recollects the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789 at the start of the French Revolution - was being "tainted by controversy". |
| However, the government said its critics had made "a historical mistake", and that Hezbollah guerrillas, and not Syria, were behind the 1983 Drakkar bombing. | However, the government said its critics had made "a historical mistake", and that Hezbollah guerrillas, and not Syria, were behind the 1983 Drakkar bombing. |
| Mr Sarkozy, who waved to the crowd from an open-top military vehicle, made a point of praising the military, which he is said to have upset by seeking to cut 50,000 defence jobs, and by sharply criticising over an accidental shooting at a military open day last month. | Mr Sarkozy, who waved to the crowd from an open-top military vehicle, made a point of praising the military, which he is said to have upset by seeking to cut 50,000 defence jobs, and by sharply criticising over an accidental shooting at a military open day last month. |
| "I am very proud of this parade, very proud of the French army. The army put on a remarkable display," the president said. | "I am very proud of this parade, very proud of the French army. The army put on a remarkable display," the president said. |