Report: US wants a strong Syrian government
Syria, Politics, 1/27/2000

The Kuwaiti daily al-Qabas has quoted a European ambassador in Beirut as saying that the US informed its European allies that it is in favor of a strong Syrian government, adding that any state of weakness in this government will bring risks in this region.

The European ambassador, who the paper said is closely in touch with Middle East peace process developments, added that his country's information indicates that there is a dispute between Washington and Tel Aviv over this point, in particular, because Israel believes reaching a peace agreement with Syria necessitates "limiting the power of the regime in Syria."

The ambassador said there is a Jewish team inside the US administration which proposes the establishment of a Turkish- Israeli confederation that can contain Syria after emptying it partially or totally from power factors.

The European ambassador indicated that those who advocate this proposal believe Syrian President Hafez al-Assad's statement on the continuous conflict with Israel means that al-Assad uses peace in order to establish a new situation in Syria and around it that will prevent Israel from achieving its future objectives in the coming peace.

In another way, they think that President al-Assad will move from a state of both diplomatic and military confrontation through south Lebanon to other form of confrontation which will eventually affect the Israeli plans prepared for larger-scale revenues for any settlement concluded with Damascus.

The European ambassador said this group inside the Jewish team believes that Presiden al-Assad knows that his country is now facing the most critical stages, because the peace settlement will change conceptions and conditions which will eventually push him towards Lebanon and Jordan to establish a confederation that will be qualified to confront what is considered by the Syrians as another form of invasion (Israeli invasion).

The ambassador added that on this ground the Iraqi file will be kept suspended until the Syrian file is closed, and then a change may occur in Iraq, ruling out any Iraqi - Iranian meeting because Iran realizes that the Iraqi paper is full of risks.

Previous Stories:
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