CAIRO,
February 21, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – Fearing a recurrence of the
Iraqi scenario, Arab countries are intensively moving on various
levels to spare Syria the predicament Iraq's Saddam faced that
eventually led to the invasion-turned-occupation of the Arab country,
a senior Arab official has revealed to IslamOnline.net.
The
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, sounded optimistic the
Arab diplomatic dive would pay off, expecting Syria to declare a
timetable for the withdrawal of its troops from Lebanon “in the
coming few days”.
Championed
by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, the efforts aim at “defusing the
current growing tension between Washington and Damascus through an
acceptable formula under which Syrian forces could pull out,” he
said.
Egyptian
presidential spokesman Sulaiman Awad said in press statements Sunday
that "all Arab countries, led by Egypt, are seeking a situation
where the current impasse could be solved and pressures on Syria could
be lifted.”
Within
the same context, Arab League Secretary General Amr Mussa visited
Damascus Sunday, February 20, carrying several messages from Arab
leaders to President Bashar El-Assad.
Moussa
urged the Syrian leader to “deal seriously and more realistically
with current US threats,” according to the senior Arab official.
The
US has upped its pressure and increased hostile rhetoric against
Damascus following last week's assassination of former Lebanese prime
minister Rafiq Hariri, recalling its ambassador to the Arab state for
consultations.
While
Washington has stopped short of bluntly accusing Syria, it, along with
Paris, pressed for an international investigation and the immediate
withdrawal of Syrian troops from its tiny neighbor.
Some
officials in the US administration have not even ruled out military
options in the standoff with Syria.
Syria
denies any involvement in the killing of Hariri and points the finger
at arch foe Israel.
Arab
Roadmap
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Arabs
want Assad to “deal seriously and more realistically with
current US threats”.
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The
senior Arab official outlined moves taken by Arab states in the
direction of a swift peaceful solution to the standoff.
“Undeclared
diplomatic moves are currently under way with Syria in an attempt to
clarify the gravity of the situation in case it refuses to implement
UN resolution 1559,” he said.
In
September 2004, the US and France sponsored a UN Security Council
resolution, demanding the withdrawal of all foreign troops from
Lebanon – a clear reference to Syrian forces.
Analysts
believe Washington could easily, based on the resolution, mobilize
international support to move militarily against Syria if continuing
to refuse the implementation of the resolution.
“There
is a proposal for the Syrians to declare a withdrawal schedule in
accordance with Taif agreement [which ended a 1975-1990 civil war],
not resolution 1559,” said the Arab official.
“This
gives Syria a dignified way out, without being seen as bowing to
Washington's threats,” he added.
Under
Taif agreement, Syrian troops were to start withdrawing from Beirut
and to redeploy to eastern Bekaa Valley by 1992.
The
implementation of the agreement was delayed, however, till June 2001
when Syria withdrew most of its troops from Beirut and suburbs,
following Israel's withdrawal from South Lebanon in May 2000.
Parallel
Moves
On
the international levels, the three Arab countries posted the US and
the Europeans, especially Paris, on their moves to solve the standoff.
In
parallel, they are seeking intensive talks with the anti-Syrian
Lebanese powers, in a bid to convince them to hold a national
conference.
The
target, according to the same source, is to secure the main demand of
the opposition for the withdrawal of Syrian troops but under an Arab
umbrella and without international intervention.
In
return, added the Arab officials, the opposition would agree to delay
the deployment of Lebanese army forces in the south to take the place
of Hezbollah fighters.
In
his sermon Sunday, Maronite Christian Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir, seen
as the main driving force behind the anti-Syrian campaign, called on
the opposition to avoid deepening splits between pro- and anti-Syrian
camps from sparking a civil war.
Pro-government
political and parliamentary powers called Sunday for an unconditional
dialogue with the opposition to preserve the country's national unity
and interests.
The
opposition, however, seemed intent on raising the stakes to the
maximum, rejecting such calls.
You
may also read:
Al-Hariri’s
Assassination and the Lebanese Impasse
The
Hariri Assassination: Revenge or Big Score?
