France works for transition in Syria without Al-Assad - Hollande

DOHA, May 4 (KUNA) -- French President Francois Hollande said Monday night his country seeks to start a transitional stage in Syria involving representatives of the opposition and the regime but excluding president Bashar Al-Assad.
The French diplomacy is also active in the combat against terrorism in Iraq and talks with Iran regarding the nuclear program of the Islamic republic, he told reporters.
Hollande, who arrived in Doha earlier today on a one-day visit to Qatar, made the comments during the inauguration ceremony of the third branch of Le Lycee Voltaire Doha School.
He said he attended the opening of the second branch of the school in June, 2013, noting that these branches are opened under a Qatari initiative.
The school has a growing popularity among the Qatari students with enrollment hitting more than 1,200 students from 30 nationalities, he said.
The school won the trust of Qatari families thanks to its distinguished teaching program. It seeks to provide the best educational values.
It has been named after Voltaire, a French writer, historian and philosopher, who was one of the icons of enlightenment and sources of inspiration, the French leader said.
On the French-Qatari ties, Hollande said they deep-rooted in all political, economic and cultural fields.
He called on President of the Paris-based Arab World Institute (AWI) Jack Lang to rely on Qatar in the implementation of programs relating to the Arab culture.
Meanwhile, Qatari Attorney General Ali Al-Marri said the school will serve as a bridge between the Arab and French civilizations.
"The school will help bring up a generation of open-minded people who are able to strike balance between modernity and commitment to Arab and Islamic values," said Al-Marri who doubles as board chairman of the school.
"The school signed an agreement with the Paris-Sorbonne University by virtue of which the university will set aside 50 seats to the graduates of the school; these include 10 seats at the faculty of law and 10 at each of the faculties economics, politics and arts," he added, noting that similar agreements will be inked with other universities in the future.
The opening ceremony gathered Qatari Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage Dr. Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al-Kawari and Minister of Education and Higher Education Dr. Mohammad bin Abdulwahed Al-Hamadi as well as Ambassador to the French Republic Sheikh Mishaal bin Hamad Al Thani and French Ambassador to Qatar Eric Chevallier. (end) nnd.gb