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Senator Kerry: Syria willing to help achieve Palestinian unity
By Reuters
Tags: U.S., Israel News, Syria 

Syria has indicated it is willing to help achieve a Palestinian unity government that could restart peace talks with Israel, chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry said on Saturday.

Syria, which is under U.S. sanctions, hosts the exiled leadership of Hamas and has influence on the Palestinian group.

"Syria could be, in fact, very helpful in helping to bring about a unity government," Senator John Kerry told reporters after meeting President Bashar Assad.
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"If you achieve that, then you have made a major step forward not only in dealing with the problems of Gaza but you have made a major step forward in terms of how you reignite discussions for the two-state solution ... I think that Syria indicated to me a willingness to be helpful in that respect."

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, is expected to take part in Egyptian-sponsored unity talks between Palestinian groups on Wednesday. Washington supports Cairo's mediation, although it regards Hamas as a terrorist group.

The Fatah faction of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has historically been on poor terms with Damascus.

Abbas broke off peace talks with Israel during its 22-day offensive against Hamas in Gaza but later criticized the Islamist group for what he described as reckless decisions that invited the invasion.

Syria backed Hamas during the conflict, deepening the rift between Damascus and U.S. allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Kerry, one of several Democratic lawmakers to visit Syria since President Barack Obama took office last month, said Syria had an opportunity to take advantage of the new administration in Washington.

"I believe very deeply that this is an important moment of change, a moment of potential transformation, not just in the relationship between the United States and Syria but in the relationship of the region," Kerry said.

Assad had emphasized Syria's desire to have a dialogue with the Obama administration after years of tension with the United States when George W. Bush was in power.

Damascus supports the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and Washington has accused Syria of allowing rebels to infiltrate Iraq.

"What I heard is great willingness to share, with respect to Iraq...I heard strong language about the hopes for Lebanon and the possibilities of providing stabilities," said Kerry, who is close to Obama.

"My hope [is that] in the next days things will begin to emerge that can begin to signal that kind of different possibility."

Diplomats in Damascus cautioned that any thaw in relations between Syrian and the United States might not be quick. They said Syria was showing no signs of abandoning support for Hezbollah, or changing its relationship with Iran.

A strengthened alliance between the two countries has irritated Washington although Obama said the United States could open a dialogue with the Islamic Republic.

Washington withdrew its Damascus ambassador after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafik al-Hariri in Beirut.


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      1.   So It Appears That Assad Said... 18:28  |  Yosemite 21/02/09
      2.   Mr. President 20:51  |  ottomatik 21/02/09
      3.   Kerry 21:58  |  Brod 21/02/09
      4.   so hamas won then? 22:19  |  ben 21/02/09
      5.   DID KERRY ASK THE SYRAIN LEADER ABOUT THE MURDER OF HARIRI 23:02  |  HAL TRIPP 21/02/09
      6.   syria harbors hamas and it is interested in peace? 23:40  |  vik 21/02/09
      7.   If Syria Acknowledges Golan as Part of Israel... 23:43  |  Baruch Gold 21/02/09
      8.   Kerry No Match for Assad 00:21  |  J. H. Joseph 22/02/09
      9.   Dahmer and Manson has Commonalities Too 00:56  |  Baruch Gold 22/02/09
      10.   Clearing the decks for Madam Sec. Clinton. 01:02  |  Stephen. 22/02/09
      11.   How does Hamas in govt. promote peace? It doesn`t 01:23  |  McQueen 22/02/09
      12.   Syria`s will to unify Palestinians as slanted as unity in Lebanon 01:32  |  Joe 22/02/09
      13.   #4 Ben 01:48  |  John Elliott 22/02/09
      14.   To Joseph Senator Kerry is a very able leader 03:08  |  gus 22/02/09
      15.   The only thing assad is willing to achieve is The Golan PIECE for 03:43  |  glenna 22/02/09
      16.   Don`t trust them 06:17  |  jim 22/02/09
      17.   MAKE PEACE IS THE ONLY OPTION 07:01  |  indrajaya 22/02/09
      18.   The results of the disastrous politic of Olmert and Kadima. 08:47  |  Jean Van Daem 22/02/09
      19.   what has the us to offer syria? 10:29  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 22/02/09
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