Sunday 24 May 2009

Syrians once again smell bullshit, and they have no problem calling it.


Assad Says Israel Major Obstacle to Peace, Backs Resistance

23/05/2009 Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on Saturday that the collapse of the so-called indirect peace negotiations with Israel was a proof that the Zionist entity is the greatest obstacle to the Middle East peace.

"The failure of the peace process is a blatant demonstration that Israel is the major obstacle to peace," Assad said in an address to a ministerial meeting of the Organization of the Islamic Conference in Damascus. "Our experience with Israel during indirect peace negotiations mediated by Turkey is further proof of this," Assad said.

"The failure of political action in recuperation of the rights give the resistance the right of their regaining through all legitimate means," Assad asserted. "The failure of political methods to recover their legitimate rights gives them the right of resistance," he explained, referring to nations whose land is occupied by the Zionist entity.

The Syrian President, meanwhile, emphasized that he refuses that the solutions be taken abroad and imposed on Damascus for its implementation. "The supplicate does not achieve anything and we live in a world where there is not a place for the weak," he went on to say.

On Friday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem said that resuming peace talks between Syria and Israel would be "useless" without a commitment by the Zionist entity to withdraw from the Golan Heights.

"If Israel does not honor these requirements then there is no point of conducting useless negotiations," Moallem said. "Negotiations will be futile if there is no true Israeli will to make peace and no US involvement. We will not go back to wasting time," he told Syrian state television.

Syria-Na

By Fayyad


We were just talking about how Syria resisted efforts to get sucked into empty cycles of negotiations and manipulated into concession in return for unfulfilled promises. Case in point is the statement made yesterday by Foreign Minister Walid Almuoalem, whose head is seen here on Ariel Sharon’s body, that Syria will not resume peace talks with Israel unless the Jewish state is committed to withdrawing from the occupied Golan Heights.

Walid al-Moualem was responding on Friday to an offer by Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, who two days earlier said that he was ready to resume the talks with Syria immediately but indicated that he would not make any commitments on land first.

"If Israel does not honour these requirements then there is no point of conducting useless negotiations," Moualem said.

"Negotiations will be futile if there is no true Israeli will to make peace and no US involvement. We will not go back to wasting time," he told Syrian state television.

Indirect talks between Syria and Israel, which were being mediated by Turkey, were formally suspended in December during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip.
While the Palestinian Authority leadership would have fell for this PR move as if it has great potential, or as if Israeli and American administrations would return kindness and if you keep offering them every thing on a silver platter with your Arab hospitality, they would eventually agree to a just solution, equal rights, and return of lands and refugees, the Syrians once again smell bullshit, and they have no problem calling it.
As a matter of fact, Almoualem is one of the toughest Arab negotiators, along with Egypt’s Amr Mousa, the Israeli’s have come up against, and they developed personal hostility towards him. Since his last name means “Teacher,” the frustration with Israeli team with his demand for respect as a nemesis was often characterized in commentary by referencing poet Ahmed Shawqi’s line
قم للمعلم وفه التبجيلا كاد المعلم ان يكون رسولا .
(Rise for thy teacher and pay him due respect, for a teacher approaches the status of prophets).


His president, Bashar Alassad, seen here looking like Mr. Mackey, chimed in today, reaffirming why they don’t play well with others… Not that they don’t wanna play, just don’t like being pushed around.
Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, has restated his country's willingness to achieve peace in the Middle East.

But he has described Israel as "a major obstacle towards peace".
He made the comments in his address to a meeting of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference in Damascus on Saturday.

"For Syria and for all Arabs, peace is a strategic goal that we will achieve one day," al-Assad told at least 50 foreign ministers attending the meeting in the Syrian capital.

"Peace must include the regaining of Arab territories held by Israel."

He also expressed the need to remain alert about Israeli motivations.

He said Arabs need to ask the right question, namely: Is it possible for a state "that was founded on the illegitimate basis of occupation and the killing of Palestinians and Lebanese over decades - is it possible for it to be seriously pursuing peace?

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