Word: rafik
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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Another contributing factor to the stalemate was the Saudi Arabian king’s visit to Damascus. Relations between Syria and Saudi Arabia have been tense ever since the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005, but relations between the two countries have been improving steadily ever since Syria and Lebanon established proper diplomatic ties, and the reconciliation was sealed by King Abdallah’s visit to Damascus over the summer. Politicians in Beirut followed the events carefully, hoping that any new development might steer the government in a new direction. Both countries have interests in different Lebanese...
...waiting at the airport with a red-carpet welcome. Abdullah's visit is a particularly sweet foreign policy triumph for Assad, who became persona non grata after many in the international community accused Syria of involvement in the 2005 car-bomb assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut. In the past year, however, the Syrian leader has hosted a growing number of heads of state and world leaders, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy and U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell, who have sought Syria's cooperation in settling many of the region's seemingly intractable disputes...
...demand for a U.N. probe was partly inspired by the international body's investigation into the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri four years ago, says Hussain Haroon, Pakistan's ambassador to the U.N. "We thoroughly investigated the Hariri case, but there were some pitfalls there that we want to avoid," he says. "In this particular case, the government of Pakistan was interested in retaining some aspects of sovereignty, whereas in the Hariri case, they were not in the hands of the Lebanese government." Other crucial differences include the fact that "the Bhutto Commission," as it is being...
...seems to be taken from a James Bond movie and appears to be little more than conspiracy theory. Nor is it consistent with the Arab League’s recent decisions—when Lebanon demanded an international investigation and tribunal for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri earlier last month, Arab leaders welcomed the beginning of the tribunal at Lahay and the transfer of jurisdiction from the Lebanese justice department to the international judges. No mention was made of the ICC’s political ambitions then...
...Clinton also said she would send envoys to Damascus for direct talks with Syrian leaders, the first since the Bush Administration broke off ties after the 2005 assassination of Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, whose killing is suspected to have been linked to the Syrian intelligence services. "We don't engage in discussions for the sake of having conversations," Clinton said. "There has to be a purpose to them. There has to be some benefit accruing to the United States and our allies." Indirect talks between Israel and Syria, brokered by the Turks, ended with Israel's Gaza offensive...