Word: assad
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Dates: during 1990-1999
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...superpower retreat has had the most dramatic impact on Syria and Israel. U.S. officials speak of a "rough symmetry" between Moscow's announced intention to draw down its military support for Syria and Washington's cooling approach toward Israel. In Damascus, Moscow's moderating attentions have curbed President Hafez Assad's hopes of achieving strategic parity with Israel. In the past the Soviets funneled enough hardware into Syria to leave the country with a $15 billion military debt; now Moscow speaks of Assad's need for "reasonable defensive sufficiency...
Syria. For almost as long as President Hafez Assad has aimed for military parity with Israel, the Soviet Union has been only too willing to help. For years Moscow has supplied Damascus with interceptors, attack bombers, surface- to-air missiles, tanks and artillery. But Moscow is now seeking to recast its role as troublemaker in the Middle East to that of peacemaker. In November the Soviet Ambassador to Syria, Alexander Zotov, suggested that Damascus abandon its dream of parity and instead embrace "reasonable defensive sufficiency." Zotov acknowledged that one motive for the decision to pursue a less aggressive approach...
...Assad, the threat is that Moscow's pullback will lead to deepening isolation. Syria, already something of a pariah among Arab states for its support of Iran in the gulf war, felt even more lonely after other Arab leaders decided to resume relations with Egypt. Last December Assad moved to break his diplomatic quarantine by agreeing to restore relations with Cairo. With a foreign debt of more than $10 billion in addition to obligations to Moscow, Assad needs the help of well-heeled Arab brethren...
...signed. And Syria remained the most stubborn holdout until last week, when Damascus and Cairo announced that the two countries would resume relations after a twelve-year hiatus. The restored ties will be celebrated sometime in January at a meeting between Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Syrian President Hafez Assad. One possibly helpful result of their detente: a moderation in Syrian opposition to current Middle East peace initiatives...
Syria thus becomes the next to last of the 17 Arab countries to welcome Egypt back into the fold. In recent months, Assad has felt increasingly isolated, especially after the Soviet Union served notice that it would no longer support his aim of strategic parity with Israel. Now only Libya lacks diplomatic relations with Egypt, but even Tripoli is making an attempt to smooth its dealings with Cairo: last October Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi paid his first visit to Egypt in 16 years to meet with Mubarak. By all accounts the session was businesslike but amicable...