Crowd's shouts of "Assad" make President Sezer uncomfortable

Greeted by banners, applause, and shouted slogans in his favor upon his arrival in Syria, Turkish President Ahmet Nejdet Sezer experienced a slightly different tone yesterday while on tour in Damascus. After placing a wreath on a tomb for fallen soldiers, Sezer and his delegation visited the historic Emevi Mosque, where he was presented with a special copy of the Koran.Afterwards, the President and his wife toured the Hamidiye Bazaar on foot, where crowds of people began shouting slogans in favor of Syrian leader Bashar Assad. While some of the official Syrian delegation tried to spread the word that a shout of "Turkey, Turkey" should greet Sezer, the crowd's reactions was only to continue the shouts honoring the Syrian leader. President Sezer, visibly uncomfortable with this atmosphere, walked only 30 meters into the bazzar, which had been hung with banners welcoming him and the Turkish delegation, before returning to his car.  President Sezer and the Turkish delegation returned to Ankara yesterday afternoon. Â