[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Syria and Iran create alliance against United States
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- Date: Sat, 19 Feb 2005 01:25:40 +0100
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http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200502/18/eng20050218_173970.html
UPDATED:16:23,February18,2005
Syria and Iran create alliance against United States
The complication of the Iranian nuclear issue and the murder of former
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri make the situation tense in the Middle
East once again. The US government has directed its spearhead at its two
"mortal maladies'' of Iran and Syria. Facing great pressure from the US Iran
and Syria announced on February 16 the creation of a powerful united Islamic
front that could cope with challenges and threats. The Iranian-Syrian alliance
has drawn high attention from all sides and makes Washington feel uneasy.
Alliance at sensitive occasion
First Vice-President of Iran Mohammad-Reza Aref met with visiting Syrian
Prime Minister Muhammad Naji al-Utri on February 16 in Iran. The leaders of the
two countries announced the alliance at the press conference held after their
talks.
"Our Syrian brothers are facing specific threats and we hope they can
benefit from our experience. We are ready to give them any help necessary'',
said Aref.
"This meeting is taking place at a very important and delicate time, with
Syria and Iran facing numerous challenges and it is import that they present a
united front'', the Syrian premier told reporters.
Targeting US?
The news on the "united front'' between Syria and Iran has given rise to
a great response in the Middle East area and also has aroused concerns from the
US.
Aref and al-Utri did not say in detail in what areas the two countries
will create a "united front'' and what threats they will face, which makes the
aim of their alliance vague. Nevertheless analysts believe that the alliance
between the two countries is targeted at the US since the two Middle East
countries are facing US military threats and economic sanctions.
US White House spokesman Scott McClellan made a strong reaction
immediately and called for Iran and Syria to fulfill their promise made to the
international society. "If they were talking of the US they misunderstood the
issue basically. Their issue is not one of the US, but one of the international
society''. McClellan told reporters when he was accompanying US President
George W. Bush on their way to New Hampshire for an inspection tour that "both
Syria and Iran have international obligations and they should fulfill their
promise made to the international society''.
As for the US' strong reaction, A Syrian diplomatic official tried to
smooth over the issue when interviewed by US media. In an interview with CNN,
Syrian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Imad Moustapha said the
Syrian-Iranian alliance does not target the US and Damascus wishes to improve
its relations with the US.
Form above content
However, the Bush administration has locked Syria and Iran as two US
antagonists in the Middle East and its relations with the two countries have
been very tense recently.
The Bush administration has dubbed Iran as "Axis of Evils'' and accused
of Tehran's attempting to have nuclear weapons more than once. It threatens
that it does not rule out military actions against Iran. US spy planes have
intruded into Iranian hinterland for reconnaissance and US intelligence
departments have also made unusual overall assessment. It is generally worried
that it is possible that Iran may become the next US target for military
attacks in the Middle East.
Syria is also the "mortal malady'' of the US in the Middle East. US
accused of Syrian "supporting and pampering terrorist organizations,'' and of
its clandestine support for the anti-US insurgents in Iraq. The US has more
than once called for Syria to withdraw its troops from Lebanon, which is
rebuffed. After the recent murder of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik
al-Hariri, the relations between US and Syria get worsened. The US government
thinks that Syrian military presence in Lebanon is the support and pampering
for terrorists although there is no evidence proving the Syrian government is
connected with the assassination action. Therefore, US government recalled its
ambassador to Syria Margaret Scobey and plans to take stronger sanction
measures against Syria.
As a matter of fact Iran and Syria have maintained the close relations of
strategic cooperation for a long time. During the Iraqi-Iranian war period from
1980 to 1988, Syria was the only Arab country in the world to maintain close
relations with Iran while Iran supported Syria in drawing back the Golan Height
from Israel. Furthermore, the two countries of Syria and Iran have the same
attitude towards the issue of Lebanon and have the support for the Hezbollah
guerrillas.
Nevertheless, part of the analysts believes that the form of the alliance
between Syria and Iran is above essence and there are limited cooperative areas
in the alliance. The real purpose is that they will show US that they are not
isolated in the Middle East with mutual-support allies.
The article translated by People's Daily Online was carried on the fifth
page of People's Daily Overseas Edition on Feb. 18.
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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