It's Time to Talk to Syria
By John Kerry and Chuck Hagel
Our policy has isolated us, not Damascus.
June 5, 2008; Page A19

After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1991, President George H.W. Bush did the improbable and convinced Syrian President Hafez Assad to join an American-led coalition against a fellow Baathist regime.

Today, these leaders' sons have another chance for a diplomatic breakthrough that could redefine the strategic landscape in the Middle East.

The recent announcement of peace negotiations between Israel and Syria through Turkey, and the agreement between the Lebanese factions in Qatar – both apparently without meaningful U.S. involvement – should serve as a wake-up call that our policy of nonengagement has isolated us more than the Syrians. These developments also help create new opportunities and increased leverage that we can only exploit through substantive dialogue with Syria.

Syria's leaders have always made cold calculations in the name of self-preservation, and history shows that intensive diplomacy can pay off. Secretary of State James Baker made more than a dozen trips to Syria before Operation Desert Storm, and remember President Assad's price: U.S. support for Syrian dialogue with Israel. The ultimate challenge – moving Syria away from its marriage of convenience with Iran – will certainly not happen overnight. But it's telling that Iran lobbied Syria not to negotiate with Israel and that Syria decided to proceed regardless.

To support Israel and isolate Iran, President George W. Bush should offer direct support for the Israeli-Syrian initiative. Promoting peace between our ally and its neighbors has always been a bipartisan cornerstone of our foreign policy. Syria views peace talks with Israel as part of a broader rapprochement with America, and its strong desire for U.S. involvement can work to our advantage. We know that high level, direct talks will require a sustained and credible American role, just as they did in 2000, when President Bill Clinton met repeatedly with Mr. Assad in bringing Syria and Israel to the brink of a deal. With so much at stake, it's in our interests to come to the table again.

The agreement by the Lebanese parties provides another opening. Syria must respect Lebanon's sovereignty and end its deadly meddling. But the fact that Syria's ally, Hezbollah, secured much of the political power it sought should remove Syria's excuse for failing to open an embassy, normalize relations, and finally demarcate the border with Lebanon. Hezbollah must eventually be disarmed, as United Nations Resolutions 1559 and 1701 require, but its agreement not to use force internally could be used to push Syria to shut off the supply of weapons.

Dialogue can open the door for greater cooperation on Iraq. Top Syrian officials have argued that Syria shares America's interest in a stable, secular Iraq and does not want a strongly pro-Iranian regime in Baghdad. Our partnership with Sunni tribes against al Qaeda may have further aligned our interests. As U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker has noted, Islamic extremists also threaten Syria.

While Syria must crack down on the flow of foreign fighters into Iraq, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad claims positive steps have not been rewarded. We should test whether offering tangible benefits brings better results, starting with providing more humanitarian assistance for the nearly 1.5 million Iraqi refugees Syria has absorbed.

The U.N. tribunal investigating the murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, which may soon issue indictments, is also creating pressure on the regime. If government officials are implicated, Syria could face increased international sanctions. The tribunal's pursuit of justice must never be a bargaining chip, but it adds an incentive to improve relations that we should capitalize on.

Tough economic times in Syria also create leverage. Although domestic oil production accounts for 60%-70% of the country's exports, Syria became a net oil importer in 2007. With a growing population, greater integration into the global economy and an easing of sanctions could be powerful incentives.

Make no mistake: Cooperation with Syria rests not on shared values, but on shared interests. Syria's pursuit of a suspected nuclear program underscores why any agreement must be verified. While many doubt Syria's intentions, we have real leverage and some inducements that have more value to Syria than cost to us. There is no guarantee of an agreement, but the potential payoff is huge, and our current policy is failing.

Israel's government has concluded that, rather than rewarding bad behavior, dialogue with Syria is the best hope for changing it. As Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said, "the chance overrides the risk, and with this hope I am going for a new path." We should do the same before the opportunity slips away.

Mr. Kerry, a Democrat, is a U.S. senator from Massachusetts. Mr. Hagel, a Republican, is a U.S. senator from Nebraska.

a Gallup panel survey conducted May 19-21 says large majorities of Democrats and independents  believe a President should engage in diplomacy with leaders of countries considered enemies of the U.S. Democrats believe that by a 79 percent to 19 percent margin, independents by 70 percent to 29 percent and 48 percent of Republicans support that view…"

Iran fumes as Syria nods to Arab world 
By Sami Moubayed
Asia Times, May 6, 2008

A closer look at Syria's rapprochement with "moderate" Arab states, that are pro-Western, is seen as a stepping stone for dialogue between Damascus and Washington. It comes after Syria announced in late May that it had started indirect talks with Israel, via Turkish mediation. Depending on how one wants to see it, it is also a step away from Tehran. The Iranians are not pleased at the Syrian-Israeli talks, fearing that if they materialize, they will lead to a break between Syria and Iran on one front, and Syria and Hezbollah on another.

The Syrians have repeatedly stressed that they will not abandon their allies if peace is signed with Israel, but in effect, if peace does materialize, it would be very difficult, if not impossible, for the Syrians to continue supporting Hezbollah or Hamas. The Iranians know that well. In the mid-1990s, they were not impressed when Syria went into direct talks with Israel, under the auspices of the Bill Clinton White House. They were equally enraged in April 2007, when Nancy Pelosi, the speaker of the US House, came to Damascus carrying a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert or when, one month later, Mouallem met with US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in Sharm al-Sheikh in Egypt.

They were enraged when Syria went to the Annapolis Middle East peace conference last year in the US, and Syria – despite its friendship with Tehran – made things loud and clear: in as much as we value the alliance, we do not take our orders from Tehran. We are allies, working together in a variety of political and economic issues, but Iran is not Syria's only ally.

The Syrians are making a point loud and clear: we have the Qataris. We have the Turks. And in a few months time, we will have the Americans as well, once the George W Bush team leaves the White House.   (Read the whole article.)

Syrian-American Jews Visit Syria and Meet with Assad

An American delegation that includes many Syrian Jews visited Aleppo and met with Syria’s grand Mufti and with a Syriac Bishop of Aleppo.

They visited many of Aleppo’s ancient synagogues as well as the homes and neighborhoods of their families.

President Assad will meet with them Thursday.

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– 03/06/2008

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France and Britain both warming relations with Damascus: Assad prepares to visit Sarkozy

Les deux émissaires de SARKOZY se rendent à Damas pour préparer son entretien avec le Président ASSAD à Paris
04 juin 2008: La Syrienet

Des sources syriennes bien informées ont signalé hier à Al-Hayat que des contacts sont en cours pour préparer la visite des deux émissaires du Président français M. Claude GUEANT et David LEVIT à Damas, au cours des deux jours qui viennent, afin d’évoquer un certain nombre de question dont l’encouragement de la participation du Président Bachar EL- ASSAD au sommet méditerranéen, prévu le 13 juillet prochain et la préparation d’un entretien officiel entre ASSAD et le président SARKOZY, en marge du sommet….

le Secrétaire général du ministère britannique des Affaires étrangères avait entamé hier une visite à Damas….

Il est possible que SARKOZY fasse une escale à Damas lors de sa visite à Beyrouth, samedi prochain, mais les sources susmentionnées n’ont pas confirmé cette visite, sachant que le Président français retournera à Paris pour rencontrer le Président américain George W BUSH. 

Political Reforms

President Assad says he is not satisfied with political reforms in Syria. He has plans for a senate as well as plans to make it possible for “patriotic opposition” to participate…. opposition members who do not coordinate with outsides.

He explained that the difficult circumstances that Syria had to go through were mainly the reason for delaying political reforms.

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– 03/06/2008

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Repression, the Arab state's foul habit
By Rami G. Khouri
Daily Star staff
Wednesday, June 04, 2008

The Egyptian Parliament's decision last week to extend emergency rule for another two years, including sweeping powers to detain citizens indefinitely, reflects an exaggerated reliance on heavy-handed police methods to govern and keep the peace. Visiting Cairo this week, I became more convinced than ever that this is a counter-productive approach that Arab governments should quickly reconsider before they do irreparable damage to their societies. …

The political institutions that should provide a mechanism for resolving disputes, solving problems and agreeing on consensus policies are slowly degrading in most Arab countries. Parliaments, political parties, elections and most civil society and non-governmental organizations have all suffered from steadily eroding credibility and declining impact.

This is partly due to the phenomenon that is so visible in Egypt, where the state uses security measures to crush any potential opposition, and that includes jailing thousands of its opponents. The Muslim Brotherhood, the largest opposition grouping, claims that 50,000 of its members have been repeatedly arrested, tried, jailed and released since the start of the emergency laws era in 1981.

The continued use of emergency laws for 27 years non-stop suggests that the basic institutions of Arab governance are decaying. …

Egypt is not an isolated case. Many top-heavy, security-focused Arab governance systems end up breeding increasing frustration at the community and household levels, instead of fostering order and stability. …

The lesson for all, however, should be that the gun does not produce security, stability or docility. It only turns once law-abiding citizens into numbed and angry people who feel they have little stake in a system that does not treat them like human beings. …

The Arab world is destroying itself from within by relying more and more on emergency laws, when it needs more rule of law and independent judiciaries.

Rami G. Khouri is published twice-weekly by THE DAILY STAR.

Syria says Israel terms signal not serious on peace: Reuters

President Bashar al-Assad said during a visit to Kuwait that the Israelis were insisting that negotiations restart from scratch and that the progress made in the earlier talks in the 1990s be cancelled.

"This signals that Israel does not desire peace and is not willing to reach it," he said in comments carried by Kuwait's state news agency KUNA.

"We are now testing the water… and this means regaining the occupied Golan… and if we reach a solution on this issue then what remains are other issues that are the second stage of talks."

Assad also dismissed Israeli demands that Syria give up its alliance with Iran as a condition for peace.

Syria says Israel terms signal not serious on peace: Reuters

Syria says Israel terms signal not serious on peace: Reuters

President Bashar al-Assad said during a visit to Kuwait that the Israelis were insisting that negotiations restart from scratch and that the progress made in the earlier talks in the 1990s be cancelled.

"This signals that Israel does not desire peace and is not willing to reach it," he said in comments carried by Kuwait's state news agency KUNA.

"We are now testing the water… and this means regaining the occupied Golan… and if we reach a solution on this issue then what remains are other issues that are the second stage of talks."

Assad also dismissed Israeli demands that Syria give up its alliance with Iran as a condition for peace.

Syria says Israel terms signal not serious on peace: Reuters

President Bashar al-Assad said during a visit to Kuwait that the Israelis were insisting that negotiations restart from scratch and that the progress made in the earlier talks in the 1990s be cancelled.

"This signals that Israel does not desire peace and is not willing to reach it," he said in comments carried by Kuwait's state news agency KUNA.

"We are now testing the water… and this means regaining the occupied Golan… and if we reach a solution on this issue then what remains are other issues that are the second stage of talks."

Assad also dismissed Israeli demands that Syria give up its alliance with Iran as a condition for peace….

"Should we establish relations with Israel and lose our relations with the world?"

"Syria invited the IAEA and will cooperate with it," Assad was quoted by the official SANA news agency as telling journalists during a visit to Kuwait this week.

AIPAC conference 'no arena for debate' on Israel – 04 Jun 08, Youtube by Clayton Swisher

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