Word: syria
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...Still, he notes that despite the signs of wanting to improve its behavior, no one is naive enough to believe Syria can be entirely trusted yet. "This is an exercise in confidence-building, and demonstrating there's more to gain by being a part of the solution rather than the problem," he notes. "It's a long work in progress...
...There has long been a view within French diplomatic circles that Bashar al-Assad really wants to end Syria's habit of trouble-making and re-enter the community of nations, but until recently had been undermined by the older elements of the regime left over from his father's days," says one French official involved France's evolving relationship with Damascus. "He's not perfect, and there are still real problems with human rights and the treatment of political prisoners in Syria. Still, there are enough signs of change and a willingness to work together that...
...intermediary to re-establish contacts and prepare visits and exchanges between Paris and Damascus. Evidence of Qatar's mediating role is clear in the fact that the Gulf State will participate, along with Turkey, in a four-nation summit Thursday during the second day of Sarkozy's Syria visit...
...Sarkozy's Syria visit may prove conveniently prophylactic in other ways, too. In the wake of the Russia-Georgia conflict and Moscow's de facto occupation of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Assad declared his support of Moscow amid widespread international condemnation. Assad even proposed that Syria host Russian missile systems to counter the interceptor system the U.S. is establishing, over Moscow's objections, in Poland and the Czech Republic. The Russians promised Assad military training and arms sales during his visit to Moscow late last month...
...Despite these troubling signs that Syria might be less inclined to drop its traditional friends, French officials say Assad's positioning may have been a feint designed to draw more attention from Western nations. "There are indications that flash of bad-old-day habit was in fact a reminder that Syria doesn't have a lot of partnerships available if the wider international community continues shutting it out," the French official said...