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Last Updated: Sep 5, 2008 - 10:52:21 AM |
The source said that U.S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch was
to have participated as an observer at the coming Israeli-Syrian
meeting in Turkey, but that Washington was not prepared to be "a tail"
to the French and so Welch's participation was called off.
The source also said Welch's participation was to have kicked off
direct talks between the Israelis and the Syrians and it is not clear
now when such talks will begin.
France said Syrian President Bashar Assad had been the one to invite
the French to sponsor direct talks, and that the U.S. cannot complain
if it hesitates to take part.
Sarkozy and Assad are to meet today in Damascus with Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatar's ruler, Sheikh Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani. The summit is considered a major achievement for
Assad, since France is now the chair of the European Union and Al Thani
is president of the Gulf Cooperative Council of six countries.
Since Washington is not taking part in the indirect talks, and perhaps
to strengthen France's position in effecting a breakthrough of the
American isolation of Damascus, Assad may make do with the
French-Qatari-Turkish sponsorship of the direct talks with Israel until
the U.S. presidential elections. At that point an American
representative could join them. In any case, Israel would not be able
to refuse a direct meeting, even if Washington decided not to take
part.
Sarkozy's participation in the summit also makes a mockery of UN
Security Council Resolution 1559, which France and the U.S. initiated
four years ago. The resolution states that all foreign forces must
leave Lebanon and all armed militias must be disbanded, including
Hezbollah. The resolution angered the Syrians, and according to UN
research, partially laid the groundwork for the assassination of
Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri, who worked to promote it.
Resolution 1701, which ended the Second Lebanon War is based on
Resolution 1559. With the major conciliation between France and Syria
now underway, it seems that there will no longer be anyone to push for
its implementation.
Source:Ocnus.net 2008
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