Baker Met Syrians to Urge Cooperation on Iraq Unrest (Update1)

By Janine Zacharia

Nov. 17 (Bloomberg) -- Former Secretary of State James Baker, co-chairman of the panel reviewing American policy in Iraq, met with Syrian officials to urge their cooperation in quelling the violent insurgency, Syria's envoy to the U.S. said.

Syrian Ambassador Imad Moustapha said in an interview that he met twice in Washington with the 10-member Iraq Study Group, the first time on Aug. 3. The group met in September in New York with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and Moustapha, he said.

Moustapha quoted Baker as telling the foreign minister, ``We had a relationship based on respect'' in 1991, when Syria agreed to contribute troops to the coalition that expelled Iraq from Kuwait. ``Do you think we can go back to those old days when we delivered and you delivered?''

The Syrian envoy's account of Baker's comment to Muallem, which Baker's spokesman said was ``generally right,'' suggests the Iraq panel will recommend that President George W. Bush reverse current policy and engage in talks with the leadership in Damascus.

In the New York session, Moustapha said, Baker cited his 1991 trip to Syria to ask then-President Hafez al-Assad to contribute forces to the anti-Iraq coalition, recounting how he had told Assad to look past the ``troubled history'' between the U.S. and Syria.

Syria believes it can play an important role in restoring stability because many Iraqis, particularly the Sunnis, ``have started looking at Syria as someone who can protect their interests,'' Moustapha said in the interview. He also cited Syria's close ties with anti-American Shiite cleric Moqtada al- Sadr, who he said frequently travels to Damascus, once for a two-week stay.

``Most of these guys feel disenfranchised today in Iraq, so we can have some leverage on them,'' he said.

Withdrawal Sought

Syrian officials told the Iraq Study Group that the U.S. needs to announce a readiness to withdraw troops if Iraq is to be stabilized.

``We are just telling them there should be a very clear announcement about, a commitment for, withdrawal,'' Moustapha said. ``As long as certain Iraqis believe you are not planning to withdraw, they will continue to fight against you.''

Baker's spokesman, John Williams, while calling the Syrian account of Baker's comment to Muallem generally correct, noted that Baker ``never asked'' the Syrians for help in advance of the 1991 war, and only explained to them why it would be in their interest to get involved.

U.S. engagement with Syria and Iran -- an idea that is gaining traction among Democrats, in particular -- is emerging as a possible element of the Iraq Study Group's recommendations. Such a proposal might set up a conflict with the Bush administration, which has shown little openness to engage in dialogue with the Syrian leadership.

No `Revolution'

U.S. policy makers accuse Syria of meddling in Lebanon and sheltering Palestinian terrorists.

``I don't think we should expect a revolution in the administration,'' said Dennis Ross, who served as special Middle East envoy under President Bill Clinton. ``They are six years in power. There is a certain set of attitudes. There is a certain approach.''

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reflected that skepticism in comments to reporters en route to Vietnam on Nov. 14. ``There's no indication that Syria wishes to be a stabilizing force,'' Rice said.

Rice said the Bush administration has held talks with Syrian officials ``and nothing has ever changed in their behavior, and we simply have to keep that in mind.''

Blair, Mideast

British Prime Minister Tony Blair has suggested talks with Syria and Iran as part of a wider Middle East strategy that can help stabilize Iraq. Two weeks ago Blair sent Sir Nigel Sheinwald, one of his top foreign policy advisers, to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

U.S. relations with Syria soured after the March 2003 invasion of Iraq, with top U.S. officials accusing the Syrian government of sheltering relatives and former aides of Saddam Hussein.

Security cooperation, both along the Iraqi-Syrian border and in intelligence sharing on al-Qaeda, resumed in the summer of 2004 with the visit of former assistant secretary of state William Burns to Damascus. It culminated with the Syrian capture in January 2005 of Saddam Hussein's half-brother Sabawi Ibrahim Hassan.

Troubled Ties

Syrian-U.S. dialogue halted again after the assassination a month later of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The United Nations is investigating possible Syrian links to the killing. Assad has denied involvement in the attack.

Since then, the Syrian envoy, Moustapha, has not met with administration officials. The U.S. ambassador to Syria, Margaret Scobey, who was recalled last year, quietly moved on five months ago to a position at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad, leaving in Damascus only a new U.S. deputy chief of mission, Michael Corbin.

``The Bush administration is still very reluctant to engage with Syria,'' Moustapha said. ``James Baker is trying to tell the administration you need this total engagement package with everybody, with Iraqis, and the others,'' Moustapha added, referring to Iraq's factions and neighbors, including Iran.

``The last time the Syrians engaged with the Americans it was substantial, it was solid and we delivered,'' Moustapha said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Janine Zacharia in Washington at jzacharia@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: November 17, 2006 18:38 EST

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