Syria’s Assad Determined to Improve U.S. Ties, Says Congressman

By Henry Meyer and Massoud A. Derhally

Feb. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Syria is determined to normalize ties with the U.S., said an American congressman who met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad last week.

“Syria is a rational actor,” said Representative Adam Smith, a Democrat who led the first congressional delegation to Syria since President Barack Obama took office Jan. 20. “President Assad wants to be protected from the things that threaten his regime; he is of the opinion that Israel threatens him and that we threaten him,” Smith said in a phone interview from Washington late yesterday.

The U.S. could take steps to improve ties by restoring its ambassador in Damascus and easing sanctions, while Syria could show it is acting to stop insurgents from getting into Iraq through its territory, said Smith. After receiving the seven- member congressional delegation, Assad said on Jan. 31 he seeks “positive and constructive dialogue” with the U.S.

Syria’s relations with the U.S. deteriorated during the administration of George W. Bush, which accused Syria of allowing insurgents into Iraq after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of the country and supporting the Islamist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. The U.S. imposed economic sanctions in May 2004, including a ban on trade transactions with the Commercial Bank of Syria, the country’s largest bank.

Ties with the U.S. were further strained after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, which prompted the U.S. to withdraw its ambassador from Syria. A United Nations investigation into the killing implicated Syrian officials, allegations denied by the government in Damascus.

‘Economic Opportunities’

“What Syria wants is greater economic opportunities, better relations with the U.S. and with the West to grow their economy,” said Smith, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee whose district is in Washington state. “What we want is Syria to work with us to stop violent extremists operating in the region.”

International pressure on Syria has eased since it helped broker an end to an 18-month long political crisis in Lebanon in May last year. Syria played a key role in Lebanese politics for three decades and withdrew its army in 2005.

Syria broke off indirect discussions with Israel in the wake of Israel’s 22-day offensive in Gaza. The talks, which began last year through Turkish mediation, marked the first effort to reach a Syrian-Israeli peace agreement since negotiations broke down in 2000 over the terms for Israel to return the Golan Heights, which it has occupied since the 1967 Six-Day War.

“Overall you can see the broad framework of a deal” between the U.S. and Syria, said Smith. One of the “most critical” elements would be getting Israel and Syria back to the negotiating table, he said.