Tuesday, July 15, 2008

'Europe has a duty to educate the US about Middle East'


By Robert Fisk

".......He may see evil among Syria's enemies but he will speak no evil, certainly not of the French. "We are building trust with the French," he says. Syria is ready to co-operate on the prevention of illegal immigration, against "what you in the West call 'terrorism'" [My Comment: Maher Arar knows that only too well] and opening a developed economic partnership. And Mr Moallem can be a bit preachy into the bargain.

"You in the West have a moral duty in Europe to educate the United States more about the Middle East. If they don't listen to you, they will not listen to us. They will continue with their mistakes." I don't think they're going to listen, I mutter. But Mr Moallem is in full flow......

...But after the Doha agreement [which called for a unity government in Lebanon and a veto over cabinet decisions by the pro-Syrian opposition] we hope that a positive atmosphere will be created. So now we are talking about two states, two independent sovereign states on an equal footing. The will of each side is to be respected."

And the Hariri tribunal to find his murderers? What did Assad and Sarkozy say about this? "Never mentioned – not once," [My Comment: what a surprise!] Mr Moallem replies......."

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