European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 25, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes wednesday september 25, 1985 . Asked Syria for help in Weir s release Abc says to fled today by inc associated press vermin wallers the . Ambassador to the United nations made a secret visit to s Ria to gain inc release of the Rev. Benjamin Weir an american held in Leb anon for 16 months. Nhuc Neus reported monday. Wallers met with Syria s president Hafez Assad for four hours. Abc said filing no i sources. It did not give an exact time for inc Walters Assad meet ing. Irene Payne a spokeswoman Al inc . Mission to inc United nations had no comment on the re porn. She said Walters would go no further than he had at a news conference thursday when he explained Why he was not Al the i sept. 17 opening of the . Gen-1 eral Assembly. Asked Why he was not at the Vernon wallers opening Walters said he was on a Mission for his govern ment but he refused to elaborate. The . Mission had said at the time that Walters was t there because he was out of the country. Weir was freed on sept. 14. The Washington Post reported in its tuesday editions that the shiite captors of the six americans still held in Lebanon May release the remaining six hos tages if Kuwait agrees to free the two lebanese shiites who arc among 17 convicted terrorists imprisoned there. The Post quoted a Well placed Arab diplomatic source who said there have been indications of such a Compromise from the shiite captors who previously have demanded that All 17 terrorists be freed. He also said there arc indications that the shiites want a Way out of the impasse because of mounting Arab pressure particularly from Syria inc Post said. The United states has consistently ruled out negotiations with terrorists but last week stale department spokesman Bernard Kalb said we arc willing to Dis cuss the Safe. Of the american  at the time. Kalb had refused to elaborate or to say whether . Diplomats had such discussions before Weir s release. The other american captives Are Terry Anderson chief Middle East correspondent for the associated press William Buckley . Embassy political officer Peter Kilburn. A librarian Al the american University of Beirut the Rev. Lawrence Junco a roman Catholic priest David Jacobson the director of the american University Hospital and Thomas Sutherland the Dean of agriculture at the University. Off Awa fisheries minister quits after rebuke in smelly tuna Case Ottawa a the fisheries minister has resigned after being rebuked by the prime minister for allowing the distribution of almost a million cans of tuna his inspectors had branded unfit for human consumption. John Fraser the minister overrode his inspectors recommendations on april 29 and permitted the distribution of the tuna packaged by Star kist Canada inc. In St. Andrews new Brunswick. Last thursday he said he reversed his decision ordering a recall of the fish. Prime minister Brian Mulroney said Friday it was pretty damned obvious that the tuna should never have been released for Sale. Mulroney said that his office finally ordered inc tuna recall. Inspectors said the fish did not pose a danger to health but Bud a foul odor and Bod appearance because the Plant apparently waited too Long to package it. The tuna was from several parts of the world. Fraser 53, did t have a comment on his resignation telling reporters Only that he hoped to continue his duties As a member of parliament from Vancouver South. Opposition members in the House of commons called on Mulroney to clarify his role in the scandal. Some said the prime minister had been informed of the tuna problem earlier and ignored it until a television report exposed the matter. The prime minister denied that. Fraser is the second minister in eight months to leave the conservative government which was elected last year. Robert Coates quit As defense minister in february after a newspaper report that he had visited a West German strip club. Fraser s resignation brings the Cabinet to 39 Mem Bers. Bridge Job All wrapped up Aoi Erica arts of Chr to be scene. Police immediately launched a manhunt for the assailants