Extending al-Mu'allim post in Washington is not a sign for resuming Syrian-Israeli negotiations

Well-informed Syrian sources told the Lebanese daily al-Nahar that extending the post of office for the Syrian ambassador in Washington, Walid al-Mu'allim, does not reflect any political indicator on the level of resuming negotiations with Israel following four years of suspension.

The Syrian sources stated that, "Extending the stay until the end of this year to al-Mu'allim as well as for the Syrian ambassador in Cairo, Issa Darwish, came at the request of the two ambassadors to extend their stay according to what they had told the Foreign Ministry for arranging their personal matters, an extension permitted by the Syrian law after summoning on the ambassadors back home."

The Syrian sources added that, "al-Mu'allim staying in Washington for some time does not reflect any indication of restoring the Syrian-Israeli negotiations."

However, views of the diplomatic circles in Damascus varied in this respect. Certain diplomatic circles spoke about the need of having al-Mu'allim stay in Washington during the "recovery period" of the Syrian foreign minister following the heart surgery he underwent, a situation which made al-Mu'allim the only side capable of coordinating contacts between Damascus and Washington during recent times. Other diplomats considered that "keeping" al-Mu'allim in Washington was a result of "a change in the ministerial reshuffle project," they expected to take place in October.

The Syrian official sources indicated that, "Believing rumors means that the Syrian government has jumped from its place for ten times in recent years," adding that this rumor has been "spread in the country since that last ministerial reshuffle several years ago."

The Syrian sources asserted that this decision of Cabinet reshuffle "is at the hands of President Hafez al-Assad" and that "nobody can confirm or deny it."