Southwest Asia News Digest
Syrian Envoy: Russia Will Aid in Israel-Syria Peace Talks
Dec. 17 (EIRNS)Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustafa told a packed audience at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. today, that it is Russia, not the U.S., that will play the major role in furthering the talks between Israel and Syria, to end the Israeli occupation of Syrian territoryi.e., the Golan Heights. The ambassador was optimistic about the possibility of this track moving, but he was also frank in condemning the current U.S. Administration for its failure "until seven months ago," at a meeting at Sharm el-Sheikh (Egypt) to pursue any of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's initiatives to cooperate with the U.S., and to reopen talks to Israel.
Moustafa reviewed the history of Syrian-U.S. relations, especially since the Iraq War, which Syria opposed, getting placed on the top list of "rogue nations" because of this. In January 2005, Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage (under Colin Powell) came to Syria, and communicated a list of demands, in order to normalize relations with the United States. All conditions were met, he said, but when the "new team" came into the State Department, relations with Syria were put into deep freeze. When Condoleezza Rice reopened the talks at multilateral meetings in Spring 2007, the Syrian government kept demanding diplomatic talks at a high level, and refused to attend the Annapolis conference until "three days before" the meeting, when the State Department informed the Syrian government that the agenda would include a session on the Israeli-Syrian and Israeli-Lebanese conflicts, as Syria had demanded.
EIR asked about Israeli-Syrian peace negotiations, including the references in Israeli newspapers from top Israeli officials such as President Shimon Peres, talking about the necessity to make peace with Syria, and whether there were any talks going on at present. The ambassador thanked EIR for reminding him to mention this very important issuethat many top Israelis do openly call for negotiations with Syria. But, he insisted, Syria does not want only "back channels," "secret talks"though there are several. Assad has been clear: "We want peace." He said this means peace talks openly "in the sunshine." This, the last question, set the tone for Wilson Center Middle East director Haleh Esfandiari to conclude the forum, saying she hopes to have Moustafa return for a talk that includes the Israeli Ambassador, when such talks begin.
Russia Accelerates Steps To Prevent an Attack on Iran
Dec. 17 (EIRNS)In a clear effort to prevent Vice President Dick Cheney from pressing ahead to an attack on Iran, Russia continues to take steps, in the context of the Annapolis conference and the upcoming Middle East conference in Moscow, to engage Iran in dialogue, while continuing to pressure it to suspend uranium enrichment, even though Iran still insists on its right to enrich its own uranium.
Russia's Atomstroiexport, the company which is a member of the consortium building the nuclear power station at Bushehr announced that the first "fuel assemblies" containing uranium enriched to 3.62%, were delivered on Dec. 14. Deliveries will continue until February 2008, and after six months it is believed the power station will be commissioned.
"Containers with fuel sealed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspectors have been delivered to the site and placed in a special storage facility subject to international safety monitoring," a statement from Rosatom reported.
The Russian foreign ministry issued a statement saying, "We believe that entirely new conditions have been created, allowing Iran to take steps to restore trust in the peaceful nature of its nuclear program.... This includes suspension of uranium enrichment activities, as Iran will not need its own enrichment facility in the mid-term."
Although the spent fuel will be returned to Germany, an unnamed Iranian official told Reuters that there is nothing in the agreement stipulating that Iran will stop enriching uranium.
At the same time, the Iranian Defense Ministry announced that on Dec. 19, Tehran will host the fourth conference of the Iran-Russia Joint Defense Cooperation Commission.
The Russian delegation will be led by the head of the Russian Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation, Mikhail Dmitriyev. The commission will discuss expanding defense ties and examine the state of the agreements reached during earlier Iran-Russia joint defense commissions, according to IRNA.
Israel-Hamas Negotiation Not Ruled Out
Dec. 21 (EIRNS)Negotiations with Hamas should be considered if the group makes a genuine offer to end terror activity, stop smuggling, and discuss the release of abducted soldier Gilad Shalit, National Infrastructures Minister Binjamin Ben-Eliezer told Israel Radio today. Ben-Eliezer added that, in his experience, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would not reject any offer outright.
Meanwhile, security sources quoted by Army Radio said Israel would not be able to ignore Hamas's offer of a ceasefire, if it proved able to halt Kassam rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza. The sources added that no negotiations were taking place at the moment.
"The prime minister, I know, doesn't totally rule anything out," Ben-Eliezer said. "If a serious proposal is put on the table and Hamas is willing to discuss a long-term ceasefire and is willing to stop the terror, to stop the smugglings and is willing to open talks on the release of Gilad Shalit, I would go to negotiations."
Nonetheless, Ha'aretz reports that Israeli strikes against militants in Gaza continue, and that a Hamas gunman was killed in a clash in Khan Younis, Gaza.
Syria: U.S. Obstructing Negotiations in Lebanon
Dec. 20 (EIRNS)Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Mouallem met with reporters in Damascus on Dec. 20, responding to reports that French President Nicolas Sarkozy told President Bashar al-Assad, by telephone, that his patience was wearing thin regarding Syria's ability to get the opposition forces in Lebanon to move forward with the Presidential election.
The Foreign Minister said that the U.S. was obstructing a deal in Lebanon by ignoring the principle of consensus and insisting on majority rule in the negotiations between parliamentary blocs. "The American role in Lebanon should be sidelined because it is not balanced," he said. "Syria is playing a constructive role. We are facilitating a solution, but at the end the solution is a Lebanese one."
He also said that he is will discuss Lebanon with Claude Gueant, Sarkozy's chief of staff, on Dec. 20.
Al-Mouallem stressed the "legitimacy of the position of the opposition groups [in Lebanon]," adding, "They don't demand seats in the Cabinet more than their share in the Parliament."
Shortly after this, in Washington, following a visit to Lebanon by National Security Council neo-con Elliott Abrams, President George Bush attacked Syria again today at the White House press conference. With the Lebanese Presidential election stalled after the assassination of Gen. François el-Hajj, Sarkozy called Assad on Dec. 19 to issue an ultimatum, that the Syrian President has to deliver the Lebanese Presidential election, by ending Syria's "interference." In answer to a question about whether Sarkozy's call to Assad was coordinated with President Bush, Bush answered:
"No, it wasn't coordinated with me and my patience ran out on President Assad a long time ago. And the reason why, is, because he houses Hamas, he facilitates Hezbollah, suiciders go from his country into Iraq, and he destabilizes Lebanon.
"And so, if he's listening, he doesn't need a phone call. He knows exactly what my position is.
"We areour view of Lebanonfirst of all it's very important that Lebanon's democracy succeed."
Bush behaved as though the Annapolis conference, which included Syria, had never occurred, proving that Dick Cheney's influence in the Administration is as toxic as ever.
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