Syria Hangs Tough on Lebanon, Gives Priority to Iraq
As Lebanon braces for a new round of parliamentary consultations in an attempt to shape a new government, Syria seemed to be hanging tough on Lebanon in response to U.S. intransigence toward Damascus.
Political sources relied much on talks that are likely to take place in New York between President Michel Suleiman and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting.
Pan-Arab daily al-Hayat, citing political sources, said Monday that Suleiman and Muallem will discuss regional issues and efforts to defuse Syrian-Iraqi tension as well as the Lebanon situation and obstacles facing the formation of a national unity government.
The expected Suleiman-Muallem meeting comes following a phone call last week between the Lebanese and Syrian presidents.
Al-Hayat said Suleiman has briefed Syrian President Bashar Assad about efforts to form a national unity government following Hariri”s decision to step down as prime minister-designate.
The political sources said Suleiman informed Assad of the reasons that led Hariri to abandon efforts to form a government without requesting anything specific from the Syrian president.
They said Assad was not aware that Hariri made a lot of concessions that cleared the way for Cabinet”s formation.
A high-ranking political official said Syria”s intransigence in Lebanon regarding formation of a new government comes in response to the inflexibility of the United States toward Damascus.
This, however, does not indicate that Washington has decided to change Obama”s policy with regards to engaging in dialogue with Syria, the official added.
Syrian officials have confirmed to foreign delegates that visited Damascus recently that priority is given to the Syrian-Iraqi crisis and the need to resolve it, and that they are not interested in following up on the Lebanon situation.