Assad and Obama, pen pals
Interesting bit of diplomatic news from the Lebanese paper Al-Mustaqbal: Syrian president Bashar Al-Assad sent Obama a letter saying he wants a better relationship with the U.S. (Yedioth Ahronoth has an account of the Al-Mustaqbal article, which I can't find on their Web site.)
According to the report, Assad used Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to relay his message, which included a four-part request: For the US to reinstate its ambassador to Damascus, for it to take Syria off its terror watch list, for the US-Syrian-Iraqi coordinating committee - tasked with supervising the Syrian-Iraqi border - to resume its activities, and for Obama to commit to and sponsor Damascus' peace talks with Jerusalem.
The first part of that request is already done, according to the State Department.
The report doesn't say when Abbas delivered the letter; presumably he brought it with him during his May 28 visit to the White House. That means he sent it before the Iranian election, which turned Syria's Persian patrons into international pariahs -- and gave the U.S. an opportunity to strengthen its ties with Syria.
The article also says (a bit ominously) that Israeli defense minister Ehud Barak will "address the issue" of Syrian peace talks when he meets with Obama during his upcoming visit to Washington. That's because the Syrians obviously want Obama to press Israel on the Golan Heights -- and Israel doesn't want to return that land.
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Categories: Diplomacy, Obama Administration, Regional News, Syria
Tags: Barack Obama, Bashar Al-Assad, Ehud Barak, Golan Heights
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