Damascus hopes Egypt will avert UN sanctions
Syria remains worried even if its worst fears should be averted thanks to Russia and China, which have declared themselves to be against sanctions.
Damascus (AsiaNews) Damasus is worried about Monday's meeting in the Glass Palace, even if the position taken by China and Russia contrary to sanctions against Syria, together with the mediation offered by Egypt, offer glimpses of optimism.
In Syria, much importance has been attached to Friday's surprise visit of Egyptian President Hosni Moubarak, leading an official delegation including, among others, the Foreign Affairs Minister, Abou El Ghaitt, and Moubarak's special envoy to Saudi Arabia, Omar Souleiman, just back after delivering a crucially important letter to the Saudi king on Wednesday. The letter is about latest developments since the publication of the Mehlis report and rumours of possible sanctions against Syria.
During the visit, there was a meeting behind closed doors of the two presidents, Moubarak and Assad, which lasted for more than an hour. At the end of the meeting the SANA agency reaffirmed Syria's full availability to collaborate with the International Commission of Inquiry into the assassination of the former Lebanese premier, Rafic Hariri, as well as its categorical rejection of any "manipulation of the report for political ends", in a way to serve certain international interests.
For his part, the Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister, Ahmed Abou El Ghaitt upheld his government's availability and he gave credit to the assertions of Syrian leaders, refusing to consider the current problem as a result of "the deterioration of ties between Lebanon and Syria". The Egyptian minister also emphasized the need of bringing stability and peace back to the Mid-East region.
The initiative of the Egyptian president to mediate judged as the "only and last solution" is being viewed favourably in Syria. This echoes the mood of the Syrian press, which thinks Monday's UN meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers and Lebanon will not have any impact "because now the whole world knows what the Americans and their allies of the 'politicised' and 'not definitive' Mehlis report want", that is to "render service to Israel, a country protected by the Americans".
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