September 2008

In 1984, John McCain came to Syria with a Congressional delegation and met with President Hafez al-Assad. He described the 75-minute interview in an article in the Arizona Republic (April 3, 1984), saying that Assad was an “outwardly attractive man” who “projected an aura of confidence and the satisfaction of a general who had just achieved a decisive victory.”

Earlier in 1974, a striking description of the Syrian leader had been made by President Richard Nixon, who said in his memoirs that Assad was a “tough negotiator (who has) a great deal of mystique, tremendous stamina, and a lot of charm. All in all he is a man of substance, and at his age (then 44), he will be a leader to be reckoned with in this part of the world. This man really has elements of genius—without any question!” When Jimmy Carter came to Syria, he wrote, “little was known about his (Assad’s) personal or family life, but former secretary of state Henry Kissinger and others who knew Assad had described him to me as very intelligent, eloquent, and frank in discussing the most sensitive issues. I invited the Syrian leader to come and visit me in Washington, but he replied that he had no desire ever to visit the United States. Despite this firm but polite rebuff, I learned what I could about him and his nation before meeting him.” Carter then added, “During subsequent trips to Syria, I spent hours debating with Assad and listening to his analysis of events in the Middle East…he seemed to speak like a modern Saladin—as though it was his obligation to rid the region of foreign presence while preserving Damascus as the focal point of modern Arab unity.”

Bernard Kouchner, the seasoned French Minister of Foreign Affairs, arrived in Damascus on August 25, 2008 for talks with his Syrian counterpart Walid al-Mouallem and President Bashar al-Assad. This was the first visit for a senior French official to Syria since relations broke-down under former President Jacques Chirac in 2005. Kouchner discussed the situation in Lebanon after signing of the Doha Agreement in May, along with bilateral relations between Syria and France, which have witnessed dramatic progress since President Nicolas Sarkozy came to power in 2007. One aspect of warming relations was President Assad’s visit to Paris last July. Another is Sarkozy’s visit to Damascus in September. Kouchner gave an exclusive interview to FW: about what the future holds for Syrian-Lebanese relations, and the role of Paris in the Middle East.

Syria and Lebanon have recently agreed to exchange embassies, as pledged in Paris last July. Does that really change anything for France, given that there has never been a Syrian embassy in Beirut? A Syrian ambassador will certainly be more connected and powerful than any other foreign ambassador in Lebanon. Doesn’t this end up working in Syria’s favor?
The announcement of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon is a historic event we can only welcome. As a neighboring country with historical and human ties to Lebanon, it is utterly normal and desirable for Syria to have an embassy in Beirut, like all other countries that are important to Lebanon. There’s no question of putting words into anybody’s mouth. An exchange of embassies is necessary to healthy, lasting relations between two countries and will help strengthen regional stability.

Hans-Gert Poettering, president of the European Parliament (EP), visited Syria on August 6, 2008 to meet with President Bashar al-Assad and discuss a greater role for the European Union in the peace talks currently underway between Syria and Israel, under Turkish sponsorship. Syria is “important and pivotal” in achieving regional peace, said the EU official, who also met the Grand Mufti Ahmad Hassoun and members of Syrian civil society and human rights organizations. Poettering, an enthusiastic European federalist and an ally of Chancelor Angela Merkel, is a strong supporter of Middle East peace, and of re-establishing European influence in the Arab world.

and the next US Administration

The United States presidential election has come down to Democratic Senator Barack Obama and Republican Senator John McCain. With Obama touting his desire to transcend partisan politics and McCain describing himself as a maverick willing to go against his own party, there is a strong possibility for a Senator like Chuck Hagel to play a prominent role in either candidate’s administration. Chuck Hagel, considered by most to be a genuinely conservative Republican, is a United States Senator from Nebraska, but has taken several opportunities to criticize the Bush Administration, particularly on its Iraq policy.

Just two days before the Democratic Party convention in Denver, Colorado, Barack Obama picked Delaware Senator Joe Biden as his vice-presidential running mate. The Biden choice is a signal that an Obama administration would, early on, take a strong pragmatic approach to Syria.
In a parallel development, the US media is beginning to look more closely at John McCain. Syrians should be concerned by McCain’s warlike response to the 9-11 attacks in 2001, his early advocacy of invading Iraq, his warm relations with the Bush administration’s infamous “neocons,” and his reference to Syria and Iran in the same stereotypical terms that George W. Bush used in his notorious “axis of evil” speech attacking Iran and in other comments labeling Syria as a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

In 1960, Nazha & Darwish was established with headquarters in Damascus as the first air cargo agent in Syria. Since then, the company has expanded, diversified, and upgraded in terms of both facilities and range of rendered services. With the aim to handle international ocean freight, the company opened offices in Lattakia and Tartous and at the Syrian borders with Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey to ensure best cargo freight services. Since 1996, the company has been the sole representative for the Marriott group, with services including room reservations and conference bookings at any Marriott hotel worldwide. FW: held an exclusive interview with Nazha & Darwish’s director general Samer Darwish.

The long delayed opening of the Damascus Stock Exchange (DSE) is again back on the table, though Syrian market watchers may be taking the news that trading will start within a few months with a pinch of salt. On August 11, Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Abdallah Dardari said the Damascus bourse would be launched before the end of the year, whether or not all of the technical requirements had been put in place. “Before the end of this year, even if it means trading on a chalk board, I told them they have to start dealing,” Dardari said in an interview with Business International Middle East.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) appoints a new resident representative in Syria

UNDP has been in Syria since 1962, providing assistance to the Syrian government with human development and poverty issues. Its main partner is the State Planning Commission, in addition to many other key development players, providing advice and support on planning, policy-making and capacity building to strengthen economic and social reforms. “The UNDP is working with all ministries in Syria,” says newly appointed resident head of the UNDP Ismail Ould al-Cheikh Ahmed. “I am pleased with the level of cooperation with the government of Syria. Just in one month five important agreements and four memoranda of understanding were signed.” FW: spoke with the new head of the UNDP to understand what direction the organization is taking, and what that means for the Syrian people.

Alan G. Merten, the president of George Mason University, gives an exclusive interview to FW:

Since becoming the university’s fifth president in 1996, Professor Alan G. Merten has taken George Mason from one success story to another. The university has gained international acclaim, although it’s a young school by world standards, for the grand emphasis it places on applied research and science. Under the leadership of Alan Merten, George Mason has emerged as a vital center of cultural, academic, and athletic activity for the entire Northern Virginia-Washington DC region. As a result of Merten’s relentless efforts, an estimated three million people visit George Mason per year to attend lectures, athletic events, workshops, and theatrical productions. George Mason has also developed innovative teaching and research programs in the humanities, public policy, and biological sciences. This summer, Merten came to Damascus, where he met with Syrian academics, intellectuals, and gave an exclusive interview to FW: discussing ways at pushing education forward in the Arab World. 

Nicolas Sarkozy succession to the presidency has been welcomed with a certain enthusiasm and ambivalent skepticism by several administrations in the Arab World. After more than a year in power, French policy towards Syria seems to be placed under the sign of change and pragmatism. However, it remains to be seen if Sarkozy’s diplomacy will bring concrete advancements for both parties.

The last few months have seen a rare and concrete evolution in the French-Syrian relationship, unexpected for some, long awaited for others. With the invitation of President al-Assad last July to France by his counterpart Nicolas Sarkozy within the framework of the plan for “Mediterranean Union”, a clear will to engage in fresh dialogue and direct review of the principal “casus belli” between Paris and Damascus took shape.