Common Market Offers Little Support for Britain Over Syria : Greece, Italy, Belgium Shy Away From Joint Action

Britain today asked the Common Market foreign ministers for a joint show of support for its decision to break off diplomatic relations with Syria, a British official said. But several members of the community, including Greece, Italy and Belgium, appeared reluctant to agree to such a request, conference sources said.

Britain broke ties with Syria on Friday, hours after a Jordanian man, Nezar Hindawi, was convicted in a London court of trying to smuggle explosives aboard an Israeli airliner at Heathrow Airport on April 17.

British Foreign Secretary Sir Geoffrey Howe, presiding over the regular monthly meeting of Common Market foreign ministers, presented “conclusive evidence” that the Syrian government was involved in the plot, said the British official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The information was not made public.

Howe did not expect other Western European nations to cut ties with Syria but asked them to show their solidarity with Britain in other ways, the official said.

He said Howe interrupted the talks to give some of his colleagues time to consult with their governments on what measures against Syria might be acceptable.

Tougher Checks

Among the Common Market responses Britain apparently would welcome are withdrawal of ambassadors in Damascus for consultations and tougher checks on Syrian citizens entering any of the 12 Common Market countries.

Some Common Market officials said during a break that their countries would not endorse any action against Syria.

Theodore Pangalos, head of the Greek delegation, said he had seen no evidence that would justify punitive measures against Syria similar to those the Common Market imposed on Libya earlier this year for its alleged support of terrorist acts in Europe.

“It’s a giant step to consider Syria another Libya,” Pangalos told reporters. He said he is opposed to any joint action against the Damascus government.

The Italian and Belgian delegations also expressed doubt that a joint action is justified, said delegation sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.

Syria has denied the British allegations.

Help for Hostages

In Washington, the Reagan Administration called on Syria today to keep its promise to help free American hostages despite the withdrawal of the U.S. ambassador from Damascus.

State Department spokesman Charles E. Redman said President Hafez Assad and other Syrian officials had pledged to work for the hostages’ release as a humanitarian matter.

“We would expect the Syrians to continue their effort,” Redman said.

The ambassador, William Eagleton, was withdrawn last week after Britain broke relations with Damascus. Other U.S. diplomats stayed behind to work on the hostage situation and to conduct “necessary business,” Redman said.