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Last update - 07:32 03/12/2008
Experts urge Obama to talk to Iran and advance Syria peace
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: Syria, Iran, Israel News 

The Saban Center for Middle East Policy in Washington, D.C. released a report Tuesday that calls on the U.S. to hold direct negotiations with Iran without preconditions.

Entitled "Restoring the Balance - A Middle East Strategy for the Next President", the report, compiled over 18 months, states that the Iraq war benefits Iran strategically more than any other state, and the Islamic Republic is nearing a nuclear weapon faster than experts have asserted in the past, and that the U.S. must pursue talks with them.

"If you're moving on the Israeli-Palestinian front, in Tehran they might feel they're left behind, and react with terrorist attacks. This time is really important to engage them in making the new order, to make clear we're not trying to isolate them, but to engage them", the report states.
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Former United States Ambassador to Israel and Brookings Institution member Martin Indyk called for Obama to pursue talks with Iran, saying "they are willing to engage and we must find a way to engage them more seriously."

The report also calls for advancing the Arab-Israeli peace process on both the Palestinian and Syrian tracks.

In regard to Syria, Indyk said "in contrast to the Palestinian track we have a commitment of the leader [in Syria] who has proven himself to be brash and quite decisive, who needs to establish his own legitimacy and regain what his father lost - Golan Hights, and give up what his father gained - Lebanon."

Indyk added that it's possible to create symbiosis between the two dimensions the paper proposes - resolution of the Israeli-palestinian conflict, and engagement with Iran, "so they potentially benefit from each other". "Time is not working in favor of this solution and it's important that President-Elect Obama starts working on it as soon as possible. This is clearly a priority for him and we feel it should be."

According to Richard Haass, head of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Middle East will remain the most unstable region of the world for the United States to deal with.

He emphasized that in spite of the fact that the new U.S. government is being formed at a time when the image of the United States is suffering abroad, "Obama is in a "unique position" for a new start in a region."

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    Striking Iran
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    Wiring up
    Soon enough Israelis will pump their cars full of electricity instead of gasoline.
      1.   defusing tensions is just lying 22:41  |  Joey 02/12/08
      2.   These "Experts" Will Advance Israel`s Demise 22:41  |  Tod Zuckerman 02/12/08
      3.   Just Supporting Obama`s Inclinations 22:44  |  Mark of Lewiston 02/12/08
      4.   As the specter of Bushizm fades 22:50  |  Mark Lincoln 02/12/08
      5.   sounds like this report was written by 3 people 23:06  |  zionist forever 02/12/08
      6.   Voting like in Chelm 23:10  |  Helm of Chelm 02/12/08
      7.   Syria Must Declare Golan Is Forever Israeli 23:18  |  Baruch Gold 02/12/08
      8.   # 7 baruch 23:33  |  Axel 02/12/08
      9.   Peace and beyond 23:38  |  Louis 02/12/08
      10.   The Left eat their own babies 23:45  |  Peter Williams 02/12/08
      11.   These experts must have piloted U.S.`s economy these last years 23:46  |  sexperts 02/12/08
      12.   Peace and beyond 23:52  |  Louis 02/12/08
      13.   That`s what you get 00:10  |  Mike 03/12/08
      14.   Fine. Make every mistake..but learn from them, please! 00:18  |  Avi 03/12/08
      15.   Negotiate with Iran? 00:25  |  Brod 03/12/08
      16.   #7 Baruch Gold 00:35  |  Lou Medel 03/12/08
      17.   Iran and the Bomb 00:41  |  Lou Medel 03/12/08
      18.   Baruch Gold #7 00:42  |  Steven Bell 03/12/08
      19.   15 01:39  |  zionist forever 03/12/08
      20.   Indyk was the architect of "dual conatainment" 01:41  |  ManintheMiddle 03/12/08
      21.   Louis from Malta - Peace and beyond? 02:05  |  GZLives 03/12/08
      22.   Ha`am im ha Golan 02:25  |  zionist forever 03/12/08
      23.   These experts must have piloted U.S.`s economy these last years? 03:06  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/08
      24.   There is one certain solution 03:08  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/08
      25.   Lou Medel - agreed but 03:10  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/08
      26.   Avi - hostilities have not worked 03:12  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/08
      27.   "Talking can`t hurt." 04:40  |  Zed 03/12/08
      28.   THIS IS NOT GOING TO FLY, MR. "EXPERTS" 04:48  |  indrajaya 03/12/08
      29.   hostilities have worked great - for Iran 05:03  |  Avi 03/12/08
      30.   #22 zionist forever 05:17  |  JIm 03/12/08
      31.   #24 Mark Lincoln 05:31  |  Jim 03/12/08
      32.   Here we go once again 06:11  |  Yuri 03/12/08
      33.   Engaging Iran, Rewarding Assad 07:18  |  Ron 03/12/08
      34.   # 24, MARK LINCOLN 07:18  |  indrajaya 03/12/08
      35.   Experts? 07:19  |  Angel 03/12/08
      36.   MOSHIACH WILL STOP ALL THEIR PLANS))))))) 07:22  |  VOICE of MOSHIACH))) 03/12/08
      37.   Indrajaya - US Policy 07:34  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/12/08
      38.   "experts" urge Obama to talk to Iran 07:34  |  DT 03/12/08
      39.   Iran is definitely talking 07:42  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/12/08
      40.   Will Iran treat the "House Negro" with respect or contempt? 07:53  |  PETER SM 03/12/08
      41.   32 Yuri - Failures of the Past 07:55  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/12/08
      42.   Impossible is not possible 08:16  |  Ross 03/12/08
      43.   Advance Peace for peace with Syria!! 09:01  |  Dr Eric 03/12/08
      44.   syria has just given samir al kuntar a medal 09:10  |  harzion 03/12/08
      45.   so called peace talks 09:42  |  harzion 03/12/08
      46.   #36, Mark of Lewiston, regarding US interest vs Iran 09:45  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 03/12/08
      47.   "restoring the peace balance in the middle east 09:47  |  harzion 03/12/08
      48.   when i hear the word "engage" i know i am listening 09:50  |  harzion 03/12/08
      49.   syria lebanon and the golan 09:56  |  harzion 03/12/08
      50.   the best strategy for obama in the middle east 09:58  |  harzion 03/12/08
      51.   MANINR+THE MIDDLE Its not just Indyk saying it is it? 10:18  |  PETER SM 03/12/08
      52.   Talks with Iran 10:29  |  Swiss Chocolate 03/12/08
      53.   45 Cipora - The Realiists School 10:36  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/12/08
      54.   CJK 11:14  |  Peter Williams 03/12/08
      55.   On talking to Iran. 11:18  |  Stephen. 03/12/08
      56.   keep your hands off stanley fischer 14:33  |  harzion 03/12/08
      57.   30 14:35  |  zionist forever 03/12/08
      58.   Right-on common sense, fits perfectly with Saudi Plan 15:37  |  Ivar 03/12/08
      59.   The punishment for pursuing such policies will be... 16:22  |  bat yam 03/12/08
      60.   Cipora - # 46 16:39  |  Coldstream 03/12/08
      61.   the idf has made us happy 16:57  |  harzion 03/12/08
      62.   Why always those lies? 17:13  |  UN-Observer `66-`67 03/12/08
      63.   Avi #29 17:40  |  Persian Kitty 03/12/08
      64.   Talk to Iran 19:00  |  American 03/12/08
      65.   Congress panel: `Dirty bomb` attack on U.S. likely by 2013?" 19:04  |  common sense 03/12/08
      66.   Mark of Lewiston - North Korea HAD a bomb program 19:41  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/08
      67.   UN Observer.Arabs specifically refused to recognise borders 21:39  |  PETER SM 03/12/08
      68.   Recognised borders/Armistice lines 22:58  |  Observer `66-`67 03/12/08
      69.   #60 Good stuff Coldstream 23:15  |  Roo 03/12/08
      70.   UN OBSERVER.Not as simple as that It was an Arab League attack 00:44  |  PETER SM 04/12/08
      71.   Whining From War Mongers; If they lied before... 00:55  |  Gray 04/12/08
      72.   Observer - Armistice Lines 02:16  |  Mark Lincoln 04/12/08
      73.   Mark Lincoln - The NIE 02:53  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/12/08
      74.   Odd that there is no mention of Chapter 5 04:23  |  Johnboy 04/12/08
      75.   74 Johnboy - The Weekend Edition 06:19  |  Mark of Lewiston 04/12/08
      76.   johnboy # 74 Thanks 14:43  |  American in NY 04/12/08
      77.   Johnboy Oh Dear 09:30  |  Peter Williams 05/12/08
      78.   #77 And you honestly don`t know, Peter Williams? 08:34  |  Johnboy 06/12/08
      79.   Johnboy poor analogy again 15:01  |  Peter Williams 06/12/08
      80.   #17 Iran and the bomb 03:42  |  Jeremiah 07/12/08
      81.   #79 You`re kidding, right, Peter Williams? 02:31  |  Johnboy 08/12/08
      82.   #79 You`re kidding, Peter Williams - Part 2 02:39  |  Johnboy 08/12/08
      83.   Johnboy predicts the future 05:50  |  Peter Williams 08/12/08
      84.   #83 Keep on wishing, wishing, wishing, Peter 23:31  |  Johnboy 08/12/08
      85.   Johnboy 3rd try 00:43  |  Peter Williams 09/12/08
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