Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., December 03, 2007 Kislev 23, 5768 | | Israel Time: 01:44 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File Hanukkah

Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad attending last week's Annapolis peace conference. (Reuters) del.icio.us Digg It!  new Last update - 08:02 03/12/2007 Ahmadinejad: Iran's enemies cannot break our ties with Syria By The Associated Press Tags: Syria, peace process, Iran  Iran's adversaries cannot harm the strong and durable ties between Tehran and Damascus, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Sunday during a meeting with a top Syrian diplomat, state media reported. The meeting between Ahmadinejad and Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad came less than a week after Mekdad traveled to the United States to participate in Mideast summit. During the trip, the Syrian delegation shook hands with U.S. Secretary of S Advertisement tate Condoleezza Rice - indicating a slight thaw in the diplomatic chill between Washington and Damascus. Though Iran never directly criticized its ally, Syria, for attending the summit in Annapolis, Maryland, Ahmadinejad and other top officials denounced the summit, saying it was doomed to fail, and scolded Arab nations for going. Tehran was not invited to the meeting. But Syria's attendance and Iran's harsh criticism of the summit appeared to indicate at least some tension between the two allies - a rare event between the two countries in the past decades. During his meeting Sunday with Ahmadinejad, Mekdad gave the Iranian president a written message from Syrian President Bashar Assad and underlined the strategic relationship between the two countries, Iran's official news agency, IRNA, reported. Both Ahmadinejad and Mekdad said Iran-Syrian ties remained strong. Enemies cannot damage real and firm Tehran-Damascus relations, state-run TV quoted Ahmadinejad as saying.Mekdad also said Syrian would never let anyone harm the friendly ties between Iran and Syria, IRNA reported. Ahmadinejad thanked Mekdad for giving him Assad's message - which state media didn't provide details about - and described the Syrian president as a prominent figure in the Arab and Islamic world. The hardline Iranian leader also repeated his criticism of the Annapolis summit and warned Middle East countries to avoid allowing the U.S. to take advantage of them in favor of its ally, Israel. "All should be highly watchful that (U.S. President) George Bush will not be able to take another concession from Palestine in the latter parts of his governing term," state-run TV quoted Ahmadinejad as saying during his meeting with Mekdad. Syria said it decided to send Mekdad to the summit only after the issue of the Golan Heights was added to the agenda. U.S. officials hoped the Annapolis meeting could mark a start to moving Syria out of its alliance with Iran and Hamas and Hezbollah, both of which are Iranian-backed militant groups. Related articles: Washington: There is no place yet for Syria in peace process Peres: Israel maintains secret contacts with Syria all the time Labor MK Yatom calls for talks with Syria without preconditions Bookmark to del.icio.us Muslim about face A key U.K. Muslim group ends its boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day. Calling all Aleppo Jews Yad Ben-Zvi is calling for the return of centuries-old Aleppo Codex fragments.   1.   Syria now truly Tehran`s Lackey 11:50  |  Kevin 02/12/07   2.   Syria and Iran. A story of treachery and comedy! 13:13  |  Cy 02/12/07   3.   A piece of useless torn paper 13:20  |  wishful thinking 02/12/07   4.   Irony at its best 13:33  |  Daniel Hershtal 02/12/07   5.   Ahmadino, el-shrimpo getting worried 14:00  |  Pepe 02/12/07   6.   Wishful thinking - Just what are you wishing for? 14:13  |  Sammy, Newcastle UK 02/12/07   7.   The Syria-Iran alliance is too strong for the u.s.-israel cabal 14:28  |  lakshmi 02/12/07   8.   What a puppet entity 14:56  |  Johnny 02/12/07   9.   Assad will be on his knees in Tehran kissing... 15:21  |  Conroy 02/12/07   10.   Thanks, but no thanks, Syria. Deal with it, 1 15:43  |  David Turner 02/12/07   11.   Thanks, but no thanks, Syria. Deal with it, 2 15:44  |  David Turner 02/12/07   12.   "Follow the Leader" 16:00  |  Stephen. 02/12/07   13.   David Turner 16:19  |  Cy 02/12/07   14.   Cy 16:49  |  David Turner 02/12/07   15.   It`s About Who Offers Syria a Better Deal 17:25  |  Jane 02/12/07   16.   persian`s gonna whump him 20:47  |  buford 02/12/07   17.   Syria-Iranian ties are only as strong as Assad wants it to be 22:41  |  Marwan مروان خوري 02/12/07   18.   "The Message from Assad to Armadillo Jan" 22:56  |  Stephen. 02/12/07   19.   Ahmadinejad ready to fight to the last Syrian 23:41  |  Briton 02/12/07   20.   No citizen 23:52  |  Abid 02/12/07   21.   Lakshmi a tireless effort by a messenger 23:58  |  H 02/12/07   22.   Sammy #6 00:43  |  schafe82 03/12/07   23.   Iran and Syria`s enemies are 02:09  |  Mark Lincoln 03/12/07   24.   21 H, are you saying that the Iran-Syria alliance is too strong 02:32  |  lakshmi 03/12/07   25.   More blarney! 03:15  |  Blogowitz 03/12/07   26.   AHMADINEJAD IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT 06:29  |  Indrajaya 03/12/07   27.   more whistling in the dark by madinthehead 08:35  |  victor hardman 03/12/07   28.   Iran and Syria 00:07  |  Ali 04/12/07

Today Online U.S.: Iran halted nuclear weapons work in 2003 Responses: 67 In nod to Abbas, Israel frees another 429 Palestinian prisoners Responses: 147 Akiva Eldar: Avigdor Lieberman's settler friends can relax Responses: 72 Report: Israel's disabled worst off in Western world Responses: 44 Officials: Extraordinary measures used on 17% of Gazan inmates Responses: 43 Rosner's Domain Clinton was for it before he was against it (or vice versa) / WTR The new Jews who actually love their Shabbat services Poll: So, was the Annapolis meeting a success? "Anyone who shows contempt for Bush - not serious person," says Olmert More Headlines 23:37 U.S.: Iran halted nuclear weapons development in 2003 00:55 ANALYSIS: Iran nuke study pulls military option off the table 22:25 Red Cross: Hamas isn't ruling out handing over letter from Shalit 22:02 U.K. Muslim group ends boycott of Holocaust Memorial Day 22:01 Most Arab MKs boycott special Knesset session commemorating partition plan 21:32 In Syria, chief PA negotiator promises to coordinate on peace talks 15:54 Rehavam Ze'evi assassin jailed for two life terms plus 100 years 21:32 PM: High Arab turnout at Annapolis summit was a 'big achievement' 19:11 Ben-Zvi Institute calls for return of Aleppo Codex fragments Previous Editions Select Day 03 dec 02 dec 30 nov 29 nov 28 nov 27 nov 26 nov 25 nov 23 nov 22 nov 21 nov 20 nov

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