Syria, which only a short time ago was a member of the "Axis of Evil," is now seemingly in Washington's good graces – so much so that Damascus has now offered to broker talks between the U.S. and Iran over Tehran's nuclear program.
On Friday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said in a press conference with British Foreign Secretary David Milliband that Syria "supports a diplomatic solution to the issues that concern both sides," without specifying how Damascus could help. Milliband said that Syria was in "a unique position to influence Iranian behavior."
On Saturday, George Mitchell, U.S. President Barack Obama's special envoy to the Middle East, arrived in Damascus for another round of talks. According to a report in the Arabic newspaper Al Quds-Al Arabi Saturday, Mitchell was discussing proposals that would soon lead to a "major diplomatic breakthrough" between Israel and Syria. According to the report, Syrian diplomatic sources said that the breakthrough was due to the "unprecedented and intensive" negotiations conducted by Mitchell and his team over the past several months.
According to the report, Israel has indicated a willingness to withdraw from the entire Golan Heights in exchange for international defense guarantees, as well as guarantees regarding Syria's and Lebanon's relationship with Iran. Messages to this effect were transmitted from Israel to Syria via Turkey, it said. Syria has not set any preconditions for the negotiations, according to the report, but U.S. diplomatic sources have reportedly told Damascus that Washington "understands Syria's needs" in the negotiation process.
The Obama administration has clearly been grooming Syria to play a major role in several issues in the region, diplomatic sources were quoted as saying; besides the matters of Iran and the Israel/Palestinian conflict, Syria is seen as being potentially helpful in negotiating a settlement in Iraq and ensuring quiet in Iraq. During a visit in June, Mitchell said that Syria could play a "key role" in resolving conflict in the region.
The U.S. withdrew its ambassador from Syria in 2005, but last month the Barack Obama administration said that it plans to reinstate someone to the post. No date has been announced for the arrival of an ambassador, however. In May, the administration renewed economic sanctions placed against Syria by former President George W. Bush. According to Syrian sources, the U.S. has told Damascus that it is willing to reinstate the ambassador, drop the sanctions, and build a "meaningful relationship" with Syria – if the country drops its relationship with Iran and its support for Hizbullah and Hamas.