On President Khatami's visit to Syria
Regional, Analysis, 5/14/1999

In atmospheres of great welcome and vast media coverage, Iranian President Muhammad Khatami arrived in Damascus on Thursday. This warm welcome indicated the commitment vowed by the two countries on the shared common strategy towards stances jointly expressed between the two countries towards accelerated events in the region.

Iranian officials assert that Khatami's choice of Damascus as a starting point for his tour and from which he will head to Saudi Arabia and Qatar reveal in the real sense that Iran still, strategically speaking, views Syria as its strongest and closest ally in the region. The two countries seek together to limit and eliminate the foreign presence in the region and foreign intervention in the policies of the region.

Observers find the visit to be aiming among other things at giving Damascus assurances that the progress attained on the level of relations between Iran and the other Arab states will not be at the expense of the special relations between Damascus and Tehran. The observers also see that Syria and Iran have preserved bilateral strategic relations based, in its great part, on common doubts over their common neighbor, Iraq.

Syria and Iran are always viewed as "an anti project" to solving the Iraqi crisis. And this is maintained through containing the Iraqi national opposition present in Syria and Iran as well as other Arab states in order to alienate "the opposition" from the international plan aiming at dismembering Iraq.

Stronger Syrian, Saudi and Iranian relations will be developed following the talks Iranian President Muhammad Khatami is holding, currently, with the Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz.

This visit will be marked as a success for the fact that the Arab states and Iran are coming together to strengthen ties and address long-lasting regional problems that have served to distract from the peaceful development of the region. Iran and the Arab states have every reason to be best of friends in a most inclusive fashion.

President Khatami has made many remarkable advances in Iran, and has brought about openness that has engendered dialogue on internal problems that served to strengthen Iran instead of weakening it. If he along with the concerned Arab leaders succeed in doing the same by bringing Arab governments and their people closer to the Iranian government and its people by bridging the ties and setting the foundation for settling outstanding problems that serve no one except outside trouble makers, then President Khatami's trip would not be just a success, but a remarkable success.

It is about time that a new era in Arab-Iranian relations is developed on a solid and concrete foundation that will provide an environment for stability, peace and growth that will benefit all.

Previous Stories:
  Khatami arrives today in Damascus, seven agreements signed   (5/13/1999)
  Syrian-Iranian committee meets in Damascus   (5/12/1999)
  Al-Assad, Khatami are to discuss mediation between Tehran and Cairo   (5/10/1999)
  Message from between Iranian president to the Saudi crown prince   (5/6/1999)
  Qatar will raise the case of UAE during Khatami's visit to Doha   (5/5/1999)
  Iranian spiritual guide meets with Saudi defense minister   (5/5/1999)
  Bahrain's FM to visit Iran   (4/29/1999)
  Yemeni meditation between Iran and United Arab Emirates   (4/17/1999)
  GCC condemns Iranian provocation in the UAE islands   (3/5/1999)
  The coming war between Iraq and Iran   (2/17/1998)

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