...the successor to the Holy Roman Empire, only without the Hapsburgs and the nifty uniforms and the dancing...
countries which withdrew their ambassadors from Syria are saying privately it is time for more communication with Damascus even though Britannia and La Belle France oppose it, diplomats said.
It was only a matter of time. We knew that.
Those states have become more vocal in internal meetings about the need to talk to the Syrian government and have a presence in the capital. London and Gay Paree reject this, saying
Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Leveler of Latakia...
has lost all legitimacy.
This makes a change in EU policy unlikely, but the debate underlines a predicament for Western states which ostracized the government at the start of the crisis, imposed sanctions, and four years on still find Assad in power.
Diplomats say the calls have come from or would be supported by countries including Sweden, Denmark, Romania, Bulgaria, Austria and Spain, as well as the Czech Republic, which did not withdraw its ambassador. Norway and Switzerland
...home of the Helvetians, famous for cheese, watches, yodeling, and William Tell...
, which are outside the EU, are also supportive.
Although Europe has long faced divisions on Syria, the calls have increased since Islamic State
...formerly ISIS or ISIL, depending on your preference. Before that al-Qaeda in Iraq, as shaped by Abu Musab Zarqawi. They're very devout, committing every atrocity they can find in the Koran and inventing a few more. They fling
Allaharound with every other sentence, but to hear the pols talk they're not
reallyMoslems....
advanced in Syria and Iraq last summer and US-led strikes started against the group.
US officials say there is no shift in their policy regarding Assad, even as their focus is fighting Islamic State, an al-Qaeda offshoot which is also an enemy of Damascus.