AN ARTCC RADAR CTLR; ATTEMPTING TO RESOLVE A TFC SIT; DSNDS AN L1011 AND A319 INTO CONFLICT.

Narrative

CRUISING FL370; CTR ISSUED A VECTOR FOR TFC TO TURN 20 DEGS R. FO DID AS INSTRUCTED; THEN GIVEN ANOTHER VECTOR 50 DEGS R FOR TFC. FO AGAIN DID AS INSTRUCTED. AFTER ABOUT 1 MIN; CTR SAID DSND IMMEDIATELY TO FL350. ONCE AGAIN THE FO DID AS INSTRUCTED BY ATC. AS WE WERE LEVELING OFF; THE CTLR'S PITCH OF HIS VOICE STARTED GETTING HIGHER; ASKING US IF WE SAW TFC AT 1 O'CLOCK (ACFT Y). TFC WAS SEEN ON ACFT X'S TCASII AND LATER VISUALLY. WHEN SEEN; HE WAS +800 FT AND DSNDING. WE NOTIFIED ATC WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA AND FO RESPONDED BY DSNDING TO FL346 AND ADVISED ATC OF THE RA AND REASON FOR THE DSCNT. TFC PASSED OFF OUR R SIDE AT 3-4 MI LEVEL 400 FT ABOVE US. ATC THEN TOLD US TO TURN L 70 DEGS AND CLB BACK TO FL370. WE COMPLIED WITH HIS INSTRUCTIONS. THE CREW DISCUSSED THIS AS OUR FLT CONTINUED TO ATL. WE COULD THINK OF NO POSSIBLE GOOD REASON WHY THE CTLR TOOK US FROM OUR RTE AND ALT AND VECTORED AND DSNDED US DIRECTLY TOWARD TFC THEN TURNED US BACK ON COURSE AWAY FROM TFC AND BACK TO OUR ORIGINAL ALT AFTER THE CONFLICT.