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| Syria-Lebanon |
| Assad Says U.S. Delaying Syria-Israel Talks |
| 2003-06-09 |
| DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has criticized the United States for not inviting Syria to a Middle East summit last week, saying Washington was delaying any peace talks between his country and Israel. President Bush met some Arab leaders in Egypt last Tuesday to drum up support for an internationally backed Israeli-Palestinian peace plan or "road map." Damascus, an old U.S. foe, opposes the plan. And wonder why they weren't invited? Ask Yasser... it's because you're both irrelevant The European Union's incoming president, Italy, called on Monday for a similar road map between the Israel and the two Arab neighbors still to make peace with the Jewish state — Syria and Lebanon. "Give us back the Golan and we'll think about trimming back on attacks" Assad, who held talks with the Italian foreign minister in Damascus, said he did not know why Syria's concerns were not on the table when Bush met leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Bahrain before talks with the Israeli and Palestinian prime ministers. "The summit was concerned with the Palestinian track and the 'road map'. I think the Syrian track for them (United States) now has been delayed. We don't know why, but for now it's not on the table," Assad said in comments aired by Dubai-based Arabic television channel al-Arabiya Monday. something about your duplicity, participation in active terrorism, intransigence, and disrespect...other than that... Some Arab leaders at the summit in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh had raised the issue of the Golan Heights, Syrian land which Israel occupied in the 1967 Middle East War, Assad said in the rare interview, to be aired in full later. "I don't think they needed Syria to be there, whether because Syria is not connected to this (road map) issue or because of Syria's non-conformity and non-agreement with these ideas in the first place. We have a different view." See....you DID know why Damascus has criticized the road map as an attempt to end a 32-month-long Palestinian uprising for statehood, ignoring what it says are Israel's "terror" policies against Palestinians. The plan calls for reciprocal steps leading to the creation of a Palestinian state by 2005 and was crafted by the United States, the European Union, Russia and the United Nations. France says it wants another "road map" to be drawn up for Israel and it neighbors, a call echoed by Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini whose country takes over the rotating EU presidency next month. thanks France.....A-Holes "There should be a road map for Syria and Lebanon. The mechanism of forging the map would be the core of a study between European nations, Syria and Lebanon... Of course we will also talk to the United States," Frattini told a news conference in Damascus after meeting Assad. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted Frattini as saying: "Importantly, I found that... Assad was open to negotiations and without an anti-American slant." Washington has accused Syria of sponsoring "terrorism," in part through support for anti-Israeli militant groups and of giving refuge to officials from Iraq's ousted government. Damascus denies the charges. |
| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 oops - missed a highlighted comment in the middle |
| Posted by: Frank G 2003-06-09 16:19:15 |