Syria Prepares for a New Phase with Obama’s Coming

Perhaps Syrians have never waited for a new American administration with such enthusiasm as they have waited for the administration of American president-elect Barack Obama. They think that there won’t be an administration worse in dealing with them than the one of Bush who will leave the White House soon.

Problems between the Bush administration and Syria are complicated. They include John Bolton adding Syria to the “Axis of Evil”. The problems also include accusations of Syria having a non-peaceful nuclear program and backing terrorist organizations. The problems escalated when America struck Syria militarily in the Syrian village of Bukamal parallel to the Iraqi borders.

All these crises formed a huge barrier between both countries. This barrier kept rising until it became a mountain. It ended when former Prime Minister Rafic AL Hariri was assassinated, the American ambassador was summoned and communication between America and Syria was almost cut off.

But nearly a month ago, even before electing Obama, many thought that a detente in the American-Syrian relationship would happen, especially after U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al Moalem met during the recent United Nations General Assembly. Also fueling rumors of a detente was the openness of the British and the French). But the American raid on Bukamal village which led to the death of eight people brought these relations back to square one, at least with the current administration.

After electing Obama, some people promised that Obama, unlike his predecessor who doesn’t believe in talks, will meet with Syrians. Last week, Obama sent an unannounced delegation to Syria to measure the effect of his election on the region, the expectations and the impressions that Arab people has about the new American president’s policy and the possibility of implementing a slogan of “Change”.

In a visit to the Arab International Diplomatic Institute for Sciences headquarter in Damascus, the delegation, including highly cultured people from different states in America, assured that the trip covers some Middle East countries and aims at looking for opportunities for talks, peace and solving the problem of the region to convey them to the American people through direct contact.

The delegation declared that this visit to Syria included recognizing the challenges that face the American administration in Middle East region, as well as gaining knowledge of the Syrian vision of U.S. policy, which hopes to establish a just and stable Middle East. The delegation declared that the new American administration faces challenges and opportunities. They called upon the countries of the region, especially Syria, to not to miss out on an opportunity for talks.

Then the delegation’s members inquired about the conditions of peace between Israel and Arabs, the phase reached by the direct Syrian-Israel negotiations, the conditions of the American airdrop operation in Bukamal village and the Syrian response on it, the adjustment of the Syrian-Iraqi borders issue and other issues that concern the new American administration.

Syrians feel cautiously optimistic towards Obama’s policy in the region. The challenges faced by the new American administration and tangled with the Syrian interest are represented in three points. Firstly, Iraq, Syria’s neighbor, became an exporter of terrorists after the American occupation. Secondly, dealing with terrorism. The Bush administration links terrorist groups with countries that oppose Bush’s policy.

As for the last challenge the new American administration faces is the Israeli-Arab peace. The Syrians told the delegation that any Syrian-Israeli agreement will form the beginning of a comprehensive peace process in the region. Since the fundamental problem with Israel now is the Golan case. When it is solved, the other problems will be easily solved and that peace won’t have real results if it doesn’t cover the entire region including the return of all occupied territories.

Surprisingly enough, the delegation asked about the indirect Syrian-Israeli negotiations under the sponsorship of Turkey. The negotiations which was not welcomed by Bush and his administration. The delegation knew from well informed sources that 95 percent of the points of agreement agreed upon between the two parties is implemented and that the rest is related to water issue.

But there is a Syrian anxiety that Israel may abandon suddenly its agreement as what the Israeli Defense minister Ehud Barak did when he suddenly blew all what he agreed upon with Syrians in 2000 talks to achieve peace between both countries and he decided to hold an immediate Israeli elections.

Finally, Syrians called Obama to carry out the change policy he submitted and to be devoted to his promise to pull out the American troops from Iraq to allow the Iraqis to live in peace and independence and to respect their will, to hold talks with Syria, to stop putting pressure on it and to appoint an efficient, trustworthy American ambassador in Damascus.

Here is the question: is Syria in its way to change her policy towards the region? especially in issues that concern America and its allies like the conditions in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Iran after Obama’s coming.

The Syrian policy during the recent period started to change and maybe the visit of the French president Sarkozy to Syria two months ago was an evidence on this change, as well as exchanging embassies between Damascus and Beirut, the appointment of an ambassador in Baghdad, and the willing to enhance ties with Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

As for the Syrian policy in general, matters will be clearer when the American administration opens a new page with her after strained relationship with Washington since 2003. While waiting for a new American president, some people wonders whether the nature of this relationship will remain as it is during the next period? As Syria’s benefit is in opening a new different page with Washington and the new administration after three years of suffering from the retrogression of these relations. Also, the U.S. couldn’t think or study the possibility of calming the relationship with Tehran while Syria goes in the opposed direction.