Analysis
Once More the Smell of Falafel
Zvi Bar'el (Haaretz)Syria, like Israel or the Palestinians, gives nothing away for free. For the revival of ties with the United States it pays in hard currency at the Iraqi border, and by avoiding any involvement in the Lebanese elections, which led to the victory of Saad Hariri’s coalition. It will also require full payment for peace with Israel. …
Last week Syrian President Bashar Assad said once more that Israel is not a partner for peace. This declaration was not intended for
Whether Socialism: Syria Baath Party Debates Renewal
Institute for War and Peace Reporting.Syria’s ruling Baath party is considering a renewal process to meet a growing gap between the socialist nature of the regime and the market-oriented reality on the ground, observers say. …
Challenged by a fall in oil production and growing unemployment, Syria has adopted many steps in the past few years to shift from being a state-controlled economy into a more market-oriented one. Several laws were set to open the country to private banks and foreign investments as well as
Acting As If Iran Is Not Present
Tariq Alhomayed, editor-in-chief, Asharq Al-AwsatFive important statements were made in a single day, from and concerning Syria. … [The] statements contradict one another; on the one hand Syria is betting on Iran, while on the other hand the Syrians are saying that they want to resume [indirect] negotiations with Israel, cooperate with the Hariri tribunal, and that should the Saudi monarch visit Damascus he will receive a warm welcome. So what is happening? … [An Arab source] added that the Syrian praise of Iran
What Will the Thaw Between Syria and the U.S. Mean for Lebanon?
The Daily Star, EditorialThe Obama administration thankfully understands that agreeing to communicate does not necessarily mean that you need to agree on everything, but rather that you are open to exploring constructive ways of resolving differences. If both the U.S. and Syria are adopting this attitude, it can only be beneficial for Lebanon, which has in the past gotten bruised in the tug of war between the two countries.
One of the main concerns in Lebanon is that a mending of ties between Syria
Heard on the Street
Tough-Minded Dialogue Can Yield Results
Edward Djerejian, former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Israel; former assistant secretary of state for Near East affairs, “Job Advice for the New Ambassador to Syria,” interview with National Public Radio, June 25, 2009:
“When I was assigned to Damascus in 1988, under President Reagan and, later, President Bush, 41, we had a very adversarial situation between the two countries, as we do today, and admittedly in a different historic context, but we had major issues: the civil war in Lebanon, the Israeli-Syrian relationship, issues involving Syrian Jewry, et cetera. … But yet, we engaged. We engaged in a very direct, very authoritative manner with the president of the United States and the secretary of state fully behind the dialogue. And we were able, in that context, to achieve results … helping to end the civil war in Lebanon, getting Syria on board our coalition against Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Kuwait, getting freedom of travel of Syrian Jews. And the big prize was getting the Syrians and—especially then President Hafez al-Assad—to agree to face to face direct negotiations with Israel. So I am a very strong proponent of dialogue with our adversaries. I support President Obama’s initiatives for a dialogue with Syria and Iran, for example, but as long as that dialogue is conducted in a very authoritative and tough-minded manner.”
Background Basics
Outstanding Issues Between the United States and Syria
Since taking office, the Obama administration has begun to reengage Syria as part of its comprehensive approach to the region. On June 12, Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad following meetings between high-level U.S. and Syrian officials in March and May. On June 24, the State Department announced that the United States would be sending an ambassador to Damascus, a position that has been empty since the

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