Syrian Press Highlights 4 Apr 07

The following are highlights of the Syrian press on the Internet on 4 April 2007.

Pelosi’s Visit

The papers report US House of Representative Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s arrival in Damascus yesterday where she was received by Foreign Minister Walid al-Mu’allim. They also cite comments on the visit by some foreign newspapers.

Al-Ba’th says that Pelosi’s visit to Syria will help bring the views of the two countries closer. In a 500-word editorial, the paper says Pelosi’s visit and talks “place once again the rules of political action within their proper context that is based on dialogue and serious search for solutions to all the problems encountered in the relationship between Damascus and Washington on one side and discussion of the issues of the region on the other.” Tishrin welcomes Pelosi’s visit and says in a 900-word editorial by its Chief Editor Isam Dari: “With all realism, we acknowledge that Mrs Pilosi’s visit, important as it is, will not be able to remove all the obstacles blocking the restoration of Syrian-US relations to normalcy or overcome the phase of misunderstanding or dissipate the heavy dark clouds that hover in the sky of these relations and prevent mutual understanding and dialogue. However, this does not mean that the visit will not achieve any positive results. Although we do not consider the mere visit as a positive development irrespective of the results that it will produce, we believe that the dialogue which she will hold in Damascus will be of great importance.” In a 400-word article in Al-Thawrah, Khalid al-Ashhab says Pelosi’s visit to Damascus is “the first cloud of the white smoke that began to appear and clear the air of the Syrian-American relations.” The writer adds: “If President Bush’s administration, through the policies of injustice, occupation, and repression, failed to answer the historic American question (why do they hate us?) that was asked after the 11 September bombings, then Mrs Pelosi and her team, who are willing to uphold and translate the true American values, are able, if they want, to make the world once again yearn to America’s culture and high ethical values.” In a 400- word article in the English-language Syria Times, R. Zein notes that “repeated visits by US officials have been paid to Damascus with the objective of conducting dialogue with the Syrian leadership aimed, among other things, to help settle problematic issues of the Middle East, eliminate misunderstanding between Damascus and Washington, stabilize the agitated region and achieve peace.” The writer adds: “Hopes are pinned on Pelosi’s visit to set things in the right course in the interest of the Americans and peoples of the Middle East.”

Other issues

In a 600-word article in Tishrin, former Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah discusses the scenarios in the region after the Arab summit and Syria’s position. The writer says one scenario is the establishment of normal relations between Israel and some Arab countries, and perhaps the resumption of the Syria-Israeli negotiations “to distract” Syria with the negotiations without a serious Israeli willingness to leave the occupied Golan. He stresses that Syria “cannot fall in such a trap.” Another scenario, he says, is a war against Iran in an attempt by the United States to evade its Iraq crisis. He stresses that the two possibilities are very harmful to the Arabs.

Umar Jaftali says in a 400-word article in Tishrin that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s call for meetings with Arab leaders is a “manoeuvre to evade the Arab peace plan.” The writer says Israel must understand that peace requires an end to its “repressive practices and violations” against the Palestinians, compliance with the UN resolutions, and removal of the occupation.

Al-Watan says the criminal court judge in Damascus adjourned the trail of activist Anwar al-Bunni until 24 April, when he will pass the verdict. Al-Bunni was detained against the background of his signing of the Damascus-Beirut Declaration. Syria Times reports that The foundation of Syria International Islamic Bank was officially announced Tuesday at a meeting of the bank’s shareholders, held by the Founding General Commission at the Noble Palace.

Sources: As listed

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.