Syria Wants US to Play New Role

The state-run newspaper Al-Thawra has called on the United State to play a positive role in Syria, following a meeting of Iraq’s neighbours in Damascus this week.



On November 23, the most senior US diplomat in Syria, charge d’affaires Maura Connelly, told a meeting of the Security Committee for Coordination and Cooperation on Iraq that militants in that country had received support from outside – a clear hint that Syria and Iran had backed anti-US insurgents.



In an article published the following day, Al-Thawra editor-in-chief Assad Abud, put a positive spin on the future of US-Syrian relations, which he noted had never been cut off despite the massive disagreements between the two governments.



Abud blamed the strained relationship on the policies of President George Bush, saying Washington applied the “logic of hegemony in dealing with the region and the world”.



He argued that Damascus had always wanted to develop strong ties with the US despite the tensions between them, and that this was not out of weakness but out of a desire for security and stability in the region and internationally.



Abud urged the incoming administration of Barack Obama to back the security committee, which he said was made weaker because certain countries sent only low-level representatives to its meetings, while others did not attend.



Saudi Arabia, which has a poor relationship with Syria, did not send anyont to this week’s conference, which included representatives from other neighbours of Iraq, the United Nations, the Arab League, Egypt and other countries.