Meeting in Damascus

Nicolas Sarkozy spent the day (September 3) in Damascus, hoping to assist Syria in its goal of returning to the international scene. His visit was in reciprocation for the visit to Paris in July of Bashar al-Assad, who sat in the dignitaries box during the Bastille Day parade, an event that aroused angry criticism from all sides. Here are a few excerpts from Le Figaro:

(...) Nicolas Sarkozy had promised to resume relations with Syria if it allowed a presidential election to take place in Lebanon. This was done in June, with the election of Michel Sleiman.

In Paris, Bashar al-Assad had announced his intention to open an embassy in Lebanon for the first time in history, a condition implicitly demanded by Nicolas Sarkozy. As another proof of his good will, Assad resumed indirect negotiations with Israel, through a Turkish mediator. On Thursday, Sarkozy will take part in a summit on Israel involving the four countries of Syria, France, Turkey and Qatar. (...)

France's ambition has been to appoint itself "co-sponsor" of the Syrian-Israeli peace process, while awaiting the direct participation of the United States which President Assad has publicly encouraged. But the United States believes it is premature to have direct contact with Syria, that still stands accused of facilitating the transfer of weapons from Iran to the Lebanese Hezbollah, and the movement of combatants of all origins to Iraq. Nicolas Sarkozy knows he is gambling. "I prefer to embark upon another path, more risky it's true, but more promising," he declared last week to a gathering of French ambassadors.

Elysée argues that it is impossible to return Syria to the community of nations, to make it renounce its alliance with Iran, without offering the Syrians some new perspective.

The Washington Times also describes the visit:

(...) The French president received a red carpet welcome at the hilltop al-Shaab presidential palace overlooking the ancient capital. On Thursday, he was to join the prime minister of Turkey and the emir of Qatar in another meeting with Assad. (...)

Sarkozy's visit will boost Assad's government, isolated by major Western powers and Arab powerhouses Egypt and Saudi Arabia over its policies in Lebanon. It's also a recognition of the regional clout Syria has with Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, in addition to its close ties to Iran - all opponents of U.S. policy in the Middle East.

Sarkozy argues it is necessary to engage in a dialogue with Damascus.

But one is justified is asking: What is Sarkozy doing in Syria, and will it help Lebanon in any way?

Lebanese writer Maroun Charbel, as quoted by Le Salon Beige, has some thoughts:

Probably nothing useful for Lebanon will come out of this. Assad promised everything on the condition he would receive everything: his reintegration into the community of respectable nations, an invitation to Paris and Sarkozy in Damascus. He obtained everything and gave nothing. According to Kouchner he promised us an embassy (i.e. a Lebanese embassy in Syria) before the end of the year but on the condition that the Lebanese-Syrian liaison committee not be dissolved. The committee of the dark years.

Note: The exact nature of this liaison committee isn't clear. Possibly it was formed during the Cedar Revolution. More information would be welcome.

But there was one demand Assad added and obtained: that France sponsor direct negotiations with Israel. Paris was delighted and regarded the request as "very positive", forgetting that for months Syria had been making vain attempts to obtain such a sponsorship from Washington. And so, as a sidelight of Sarkozy's official visit, a four-member meeting will bring together Turkey, Qatar, France and Syria, to organize negotiations with Israel...

What is Bashar now going to ask Sarkozy? Excuse me, what more is Bashar going to ask of Sarkozy? Since the meeting in Paris, the rules have changed. There has been Georgia and the Ossetian and Abkhazi questions and Bashar chose his camp, being one of the first to support Moscow. And France? Let's hope that the bargaining chip of the Damascus summit is not Lebanon.

It appears that Nicolas Sarkozy is once again trying to negotiate with people who use him for their own purposes. In his quest to make a name for himself as a "peacemaker" he simply ends up making concessions that benefit the enemies of the West.