Rice to Muallem: We are Not in a Dilemma and Syria Must Abandon Bets on Change in U.S. Administration
U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has said that meetings between senior U.S. State Department officials and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem were not a sing of change in U.S.”s policy toward Damascus.
"Neither are they (meetings) a sign that Syria has changed its policy," Rice said.
According to a high-ranking source at the State Department and sources from the U.S. envoy in New York, Muallem”s meeting with Rice on Friday at the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly was upon Syria”s insistence.
Muallem, however, has said that the talks on Friday were held upon Rice”s request.
Muallem on Monday held talks with Assistant Secretary of State David Welch in New York.
The same sources told Naharnet that Rice — who had briefed her aides as well as French sides about the U.S.” position from the latest developments — did not see any objection to a "quick" meeting with Muallem.
Washington has stressed that the meetings with Muallem not be given any media importance.
State Department officials said that Washington was keen on sending out a message to Syria — during Muallem”s meetings with both Rice and Welch — that Damascus must abandon betting on changes in the U.S. administration which will soon realize that the new administration is not going to differ under Barack Obama or John McCain.
The sources said hints by Syria at cutting a deal to achieve a regional role are "rejected."
The senior U.S. officials, according to the sources, had made it clear to Muallem that Syria has to comply with international standards in the areas of global and regional security and stability; and not continue with its policies of "blackmail" and "pressure" through destabilizing Lebanon, Iraq and Palestinian territories.
They said Muallem had made a "wrong reading" of international and U.S. developments since his discussions with Rice and Welch made U.S. officials deduce that Damascus believed Washington was in a dilemma and that Muallem carried with him a "Syrian plan" that would get the U.S. out of this problem.
Meanwhile, Syrian sources told Naharnet in New York that Muallem relayed to the U.S. administration Damascus” point of view from bilateral relations and from the situation in the Middle East.
They said Muallem came to tell the United States "in a positive way" Syria”s stand from the developments in the region after these developments – and as a result of the U.S. policy – had a "dangerous" effect on more than one country Washington claims to be working to maintain its sovereignty and independence.
Muallem, according to the sources, also came to inform the U.S. administration that terrorism – which the U.S. claims to be fighting — has reached an extent that requires change in America”s strategy in countering terrorism based on "mutual work" with the various victims, including Syria.
The sources stressed that Muallem presented a "reading" that showed the U.S. administration”s "fault" in its efforts to weaken Syria "since the beneficiary of weakening Syria is terrorism."
On the Middle East peace process, the sources said that Muallem had informed Rice and Welch that Syria is willing to move forward toward "direct" negotiations with Israel.
Both U.S. and Syrian sources agreed at the end that the positions of their countries were still a distance apart and that relations between the two sides are not likely to see new changes before the first half of next year.