Assessment of France's policy of dialogue.

France's policy of dialogue with Syria has failed except for small inroads in Lebanon, according to a Lebanese veteran journalist writing in Beirut's influential daily AN NAHAR (Oct. 23). Abdul Karim Abul Nasr said that after two rounds of diplomatic dialogue the only success achieved by France was "the easing of tensions between Syria and Lebanon," and "the formation of the present government after a two-year standoff." The writer attributed his information to unnamed European diplomatic sources. Abul Nasr said the Syria-France dialogue, which started in May 2008, "has failed so far to convince the Syrians to make any dramatic changes to their policies in the region." The French hoped Syria would use its influence with the Lebanese opposition to facilitate forming a government of national unity in Lebanon as soon as possible. The Syrians believed that "the opposition in Lebanon has a role to play no matter who won the elections." However, the Syrians gave in to French demands to help in this matter, Abul Nasr wrote.

The writer cited a recent visit to France by Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem, where he met with his counterpart Bernard Kouchner to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments. "It failed," he said. Similarly no breakthrough was achieved when French President Nicolas Sarkozy's advisor for diplomatic affairs Jean-David Levitte visited Syria earlier this month and met with President Bashir alAssad. Abul Nasr said that France had "declined to support the Syrian demand that Israel should commit to a full withdrawal from the Golan Heights" before resuming peace talks between the two countries. Israel occupied the plateau in the 1967 Middle East war. However, while urging Syria to resume the talks, France assured Assad that it would help facilitate any fresh negotiation between the two countries.

Moreover, French officials expressed "their country's willingness to take part in any future security arrangements between Syria and Israel after a peace deal is concluded," the writer said. At the same time, France had hoped Syria would take part in a summit of the Union for the Mediterranean by the end of this year, whose invitees include Lebanon, the Palestinians and Israel, as well as Arab and European countries which border the Mediterranean--the criterion for joining the union, which aims to foster ties between the 43 European and non-European members. Assad vehemently refused to have "his country participate in such a summit alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu".

Abul Nasr said that France had hoped Syria would also support wholeheartedly Egypt's efforts to draft "a reconciliation agreement between [Palestinian factions] Fatah [of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] and the militant group Hamas which would lead to the formation of a Palestinian government acceptable to the world community." The two factions have been deeply divided since Hamas won parliamentary elections in 2006 and forcibly drove Fatah out of Gaza in 2007. Egypt has been trying to mediate between the two groups this year, but to no avail so far. Syria, which backs Hamas, could put pressure on Hamas to reach agreement with Fatah. However, Syria refused to oblige, Abul Nasr said.

The two countries also differed on Iran, Syria's close ally in the region. The West believes that Iran's controversial nuclear program has a covert military aspect, while Iran says that it is for peaceful power generation only. The French failed to convince the Syrians that Iran's nuclear program is potentially potent. Syria insisted that the Iranian nuclear program is solely for peaceful purposes and that Iran has no desire to acquire nuclear arms, Abul Nasr wrote. Meanwhile, France declined to support Syria in its running conflict with Iraq, which has lately escalated on the back of two deadly sets of bombings in Baghdad on Aug. 19 and Oct. 25. The bomb attacks killed nearly 100 and 155 people respectively, injuring hundreds more. Iraq accuses Syria of harboring those responsible for the attacks, and demanded that Damascus give them up, also requesting that the UN set up an independent investigation into the bombings. However, Syria denies the Iraqi allegations. Abul Nasr said that France urged Syria "to look into Iraqi complaints to resolve this issue amicably through negotiations."