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Lebanon reports suggest Obama is wooing Syria
By Jack Khoury
Tags: Lebanon, Israel news, Obama

The letter U.S. President Barack Obama sent to Syrian President Bashar Assad offered "cooperation and the opening of a new page between the two nations," the Lebanese daily Al Akhbar reported over the weekend.

The letter was three pages long, according to a senior Lebanese diplomat who had visited Damascus. The diplomat said the letter referred to the situation in Lebanon, Iraq and Afghanistan, and that the Syrians reacted positively and expressed a desire for cooperation with the U.S.

The report also said Obama was moving responsibility for diplomacy with Syria and Lebanon from the State Department (where pro-Israel influence is said to be greater) to the White House. Syrian sources said Syria's foreign minister, Walid Muallem, and U.S. envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell have reached a mutual understanding on the situation in Iraq and in Lebanon, where a new government headed by prime minister-designate Saad Hariri is expected to be announced.
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Another Lebanese daily, An-Nahar, quoting American sources, contrary to earlier reports, said no meeting between Obama and Assad was scheduled for the coming months.

In July, Obama sent long personal letters to the leaders of seven Arab states, in a bid to persuade them to begin normalizing relations with Israel. Arab reaction was lukewarm, with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal urging direct negotiations over the core issues.
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  1.   Obama proposes the Golan to Syria 12:14  |  Nora Tel Aviv 09/08/09
  2.   Golan is Syrian 12:56  |  William 09/08/09
  3.   #1 14:32  |  Chance 09/08/09
  4.   Nora, the Golan Heights is Syrian... 15:01  |  BBSNews 09/08/09
  5.   to Chance 15:03  |  arye 09/08/09
  6.   OBAMA WANTS TO TAKE AWAY DIPLOMACY FROM RIVAL HILLARY CLITTON)))) 15:06  |  THE NUTCRACKER)))))) 09/08/09
  7.   Who the hell does muslim obama think he is? 15:16  |  Jims 09/08/09
  8.   Chance of Akton MA 15:20  |  Rozz 09/08/09
  9.   #1 15:22  |  flora 09/08/09
  10.   OBAMA Bishop E W Jackson Sr (United States), Jun 29, 2009 15:29  |  PETER SM 09/08/09
  11.   Long Needed 16:00  |  Steve Grumman 09/08/09
  12.   To william 16:03  |  Aviva 09/08/09
  13.   #3 you wish! 16:11  |  Aviva 09/08/09
  14.   WILLIAM SYRIA says peace is to be discussed not guarranteed by 16:23  |  PETER SM 09/08/09
  15.   Who`s Obama 17:07  |  Cuban 09/08/09
  16.   Israel and the Golan 17:16  |  Mike 09/08/09
  17.   Obama woos everyone but Israel with support of leftist jews...... 17:28  |  bernard ross 09/08/09
  18.   It`s a mistake to reward Syria 17:37  |  Mark Jeffery Koch 09/08/09
  19.   To #2: William 17:39  |  i-care 09/08/09
  20.   Obama will offer anyone anything 17:57  |  *BEN JABO 09/08/09
  21.   Obama doesn`t understand that you can`t force peace it must come 18:10  |  ks 09/08/09
  22.   Golan to the rightful owners 18:12  |  A Peace Activist 09/08/09
  23.   US normalisation of ties with Syria 18:23  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/08/09
  24.   #5 18:47  |  flora 09/08/09
  25.   #10 18:53  |  flora 09/08/09
  26.   to n#3 18:55  |  Micheal Lebanon 09/08/09
  27.   Don`t Give Up The Golan. You`ll Be Sorry 19:45  |  Heather Czerniak 09/08/09
  28.   Get Ready Israel 19:52  |  Boyd 09/08/09
  29.   AVIVA, read what Micheal Lebanon said 20:19  |  Lebanese Forever 09/08/09
  30.   To #11 Steve Grumman 21:29  |  Good 09/08/09
  31.   Trusting Syria ? 21:48  |  GA 09/08/09
  32.   FLORA 2 states with millions of Arabs pushed into Israel? 22:20  |  PETER SM 09/08/09
  33.   Obama moving diplomacy with Syria to WH from State Dept. 22:59  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/08/09
  34.   #2 Golan is Syria - USA belong to native indian American 14:51  |  Dani 10/08/09
  35.   Barak Obama sides with Muslims. 19:41  |  ZACK. 10/08/09
  36.   AIPAC will stop WH 21:26  |  sd 12/08/09
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