2013 Briefing Book - Print Version - Aipac

SYRIA-LEBANON
ASSAD REJECTED U.S. OUTREACH EFFORTS
As part of the Obama administration’s emphasis on engagement, U.S. policy toward Syria
during the early part of the president’s first term focused on a renewed effort to encourage
Damascus to distance itself from Iran and become a more productive regional actor. In 2010,
five years after the United States withdrew its ambassador following the assassination of
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, the Obama administration announced its nomination
of career Foreign Service officer Robert Ford as the ambassador to Syria. Following attacks
both on the U.S. Embassy in Damascus and on Ambassador Ford personally, he was
confirmed by the Senate in October 2011, mere days before he had to return to Washington
for what the U.S. State Department called “credible threats to his personal safety.”
In addition to Ford’s appointment as ambassador, senior U.S. officials have taken more than
a dozen trips to Damascus during the past several years in efforts to communicate U.S. goals
to the Syrian leadership and press the regime to end its destabilizing behavior. This outreach
culminated in a meeting between Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Syrian Foreign Minister
Walid Mouallem in September 2010.
Syrian Preconditions Have Derailed Talks with Israel
During the Oslo era of the 1990s, Israel and Syria engaged in U.S.-sponsored talks culminating
with the January 2000 meeting between then-Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and then-Syrian
President Hafez al-Assad. Although the parties appeared close to finalizing an agreement, a deal
could not be reached. Assad died six months later, and his son Bashar al-Assad assumed the
presidency. Since that time, Syria and Israel have negotiated on and off through third parties.
In 2007 and 2008, Turkey facilitated indirect negotiations between the two nations. However,
following Israel’s defensive operations in Gaza at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009,
Syria suspended peace talks with Israel. Subsequently, Syria imposed a precondition before
it would resume any peace talks: an Israeli commitment to a full withdrawal from the Golan
Heights to what Syria views as the pre-June 1967 borders. Syrian leaders also had stated that
Damascus will continue to support terrorist groups and have close relations with Iran even if it
reaches a peace agreement with Israel.
With Assad launching his brutal campaign against his own people, peace talks are obviously
moribund. Israeli leaders have said that the Middle East will be better off without Assad in
power and predicted his eventual removal from the presidency.
162