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Last update - 11:40 14/07/2008
ANALYSIS / At Paris summit, Assad has all the answers to Mideast conflict
By Zvi Bar'el and Barak Ravid, Haaretz Correspondents
Tags: France, Syria, Israel 

PARIS - Ehud Olmert did everything possible to transmit the message of business as usual on Sunday at the Union for the Mediterranean conference, seeming at least outwardly to be ignoring the intensifying investigation against him at home.

Some people would even call it disconnecting. His mood can be gauged from the monologue he delivered Sunday morning at the press conference with French President Nicolas Sarkozy and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

"There could not be a more beautiful day in a more beautiful city in a friendlier country," he said. But at that same event, one could see that Olmert had lost his concentration a bit when he called the head of the Palestinian negotiating team, Ahmed Qureia, "Mahmoud Ala." He later apologized and gave Qureia a long embrace.
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Beyond the warmth of the Parisian sun, Olmert was showered with embraces from quite a few leaders - from Sarkozy, Abbas and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. They are all aware of his situation, but are careful about his dignity.

Olmert's foreign minister told reporters at the conference that the police were not exaggerating. "I did not need the latest affair to determine my position," Livni told reporters. "As you all know, we are taking action on the matter, and change is already underway."

On the plane to Paris, the two sat on opposite sides of business class. Olmert did not meet Syrian President Bashar Assad, who left the hall a while before Olmert's speech to avoid an embarrassment. Olmert's feelings were not hurt. His inner circle says he is completely satisfied with Israel's actions vis-a-vis Syria, although it is not certain he will be the one to see them through.

"If I wouldn't be pushing it, we would have had a hot summer in the North, and who would have thought about conferences in Paris?" aides quoted Olmert as saying. "I did not do this to get votes, but because I felt responsibility."

A few hundred meters away, a new star was born: Assad. He was the man with all the answers to regional conflicts. He solved the Lebanese conflict at the last minute; Hamas and Islamic Jihad are his guests and therefore are subservient to the well-known rules of hospitality. In the peace process with Israel he is considered the good guy.

France had fully renewed relations with Assad, and Washington watched with frustration how its policy of sanctions against Syria was taking a nosedive.

No wonder Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem was very happy, even though he looked drawn and pale. Every half hour he came down the elevator with one high-level visitor to Assad, and took another one up. Cypriot President Demetris Christofias was there, and United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon disappeared into Assad's room and came out smiling embarrassedly a while later.

"Did you see Terje Larsen's face?" a member of the Syrian delegation asked a Haaretz reporter. "When he went in it was white and when he came out it was red. He must have gotten an earful from Assad."

Terje Roed-Larsen, responsible for implementing UN Resolution 1559 calling on Syria to withdraw from Lebanon, said some angry things about the peace process with Assad, which he saw as giving in to terror. Larsen is frustrated but his boss is happy.

Then came Assad's press conference. Things went fine in the elevator. The Syrian security detail was not quite together and allowed an Israeli reporter to reach the floor where the briefing was taking place. The cream of the Lebanese and Syrian press corps was wandering around waiting for Assad. No one fled when they heard the words "Israeli journalist."

A few years ago Syrian journalists would clam up or leave; this time, it was as if peace had already broken out. But the Syrian security men had not heard about it.

A short time later one of them "with all due respect" asked the reporter to leave. "This is only for Syrian journalists," he said. To the retort that Lebanese journalists were present, he responded: "Syria and Lebanon are one country."

He had apparently not heard Assad's announcement that a Syrian embassy was to open in Lebanon.

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      1.   Olmert is Drowning in this `beautiful city`..... 08:39  |  Natasha 14/07/08
      2.   They thought Assad was a fool,,,,, 08:46  |  charlie 14/07/08
      3.   There could not be a more beautiful day...... 09:14  |  Dagma 14/07/08
      4.   Israel in the sea of muslims 09:53  |  Mahmood 14/07/08
      5.   "Syria and Lebanon are one country" 10:29  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/07/08
      6.   The good guy, a strong leader 10:34  |  Austin Powers 14/07/08
      7.   #5, CPK, they are 10:49  |  VIPER 14/07/08
      8.   ANALYSIS / At Paris summit 11:19  |  Sens 14/07/08
      9.   Assad/Syria wouldn´t be strong without France´s support 11:38  |  AliciaYasmeen 14/07/08
      10.   A foot-note 12:08  |  AliciaYasmeen 14/07/08
      11.   frankly, it makes sense 12:08  |  cool 14/07/08
      12.   Beautiful city? No way, Paris stinks! Friendlly country? Hahaha.. 12:14  |  Israeli 14/07/08
      13.   Common sense. 12:48  |  Jean Van Daem 14/07/08
      14.   EU: Murder and terror pay off 13:06  |  Jonathan S 14/07/08
      15.   And appeasenick Zvi Barel got a free trip to Paris 13:56  |  Absolute Sweden 14/07/08
      16.   Greater Syria 15:22  |  Anonymous 14/07/08
      17.   From tiny group Arabs & Muslims became majority in ME because the 15:44  |  Genuine Tosefta 14/07/08
      18.   When Iran will be destroyed Syria will be nothing 15:46  |  Genuine Tosefta 14/07/08
      19.   #10 Alicia Yasmeen....which is why Syria 15:48  |  Lynn 14/07/08
      20.   Jonathan S, it was you who liked Merkel, remember? 16:07  |  christoph 14/07/08
      21.   Change in five years 16:17  |  Anonymous 14/07/08
      22.   America, the steed of Zion 17:29  |  Bitin Dawg 14/07/08
      23.   CJK #5 "Syria and Lebanon are one country" 18:00  |  Guido 14/07/08
      24.   Assad is not a fool, is handsome 19:00  |  Soraya 14/07/08
      25.   #17, Guido 19:49  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 14/07/08
      26.   Just for the record assad is spelled ass hole 21:32  |  Timmy 14/07/08
      27.   Anonymous - Very good, but peace must come first 21:39  |  History 14/07/08
      28.   Men language 23:02  |  Soraya 14/07/08
      29.   ASSAD`S ANSWER FOR MIDEAST CONFLICTS:GIVE THE GOLAN SO HE CAN 17:05  |  glenna 16/07/08
      30.   Mahmood and others who think alike 21:40  |  Rachel in USA 22/07/08
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