Israel Matzav

Bringing Assad in from the cold

The Europeans are taking the lead from Barack Obama. While Obama sent Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry to butter up Assad this past weekend, France and Germany also sent their foreign ministers to meet with the Syrian dictator this weekend.

Meanwhile, Assad used the visit of another international figure, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, to send antagonistic messages toward Israel.

It is “no longer acceptable to keep silent over Israel’s violations and its sowing the seeds of sedition in the region,” the Syrian news agency SANA quoted Assad as telling Kouchner on Sunday. “If the West wants security and stability in our region, it must start playing an active role to rein in Israel and curb its extremist and dangerous tendencies on the region’s security and stability.”

SANA quoted Kouchner as saying Paris wanted to play a more active part in the Middle East peace process and to facilitate dialogue between the parties – in his opinion, the only way to bring the long-standing conflict to a close.

Regarding the Iranian nuclear issue, Assad, according to SANA, praised the uranium-enrichment deal brokered last week by Turkey and Brazil, saying that the “successful mediation” proved that diplomacy, rather than “catastrophic confrontations,” can yield positive results.

Assad urged Western nations to “change their approach” toward Iran and its nuclear program.

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Assad, who just two years ago was isolated by most of the world, also received German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Sunday.

“Whoever wishes to support the peace process in the Middle East must also seek talks with Syria,” Westerwelle, on a three-day tour of the region, was quoted as saying after meeting Assad.

But, he reportedly added, Germany expected Syria to “be prepared to support forces of moderation.”

What could go wrong?

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 4:55 AM