TAOISEACH BRIAN Cowen has urged the US to re-engage with Syria in an attempt to re-energise the Middle East peace process and reach out to Iran.
In a briefing to US president Barack Obama and other EU leaders yesterday, Mr Cowen said there was increasingly strong evidence that Syria could play a more constructive role to help solve the problems in the region.
“Syria is undoubtedly an important regional player. In the past, it has often played a malign role. But its significance is a reality we cannot wish away,” said Mr Cowen, who was one of several EU leaders that made presentations on the Middle East peace process.
He said the EU and US should co-operate and co-ordinate their approach and not be afraid to engage with the Syrians. He said as a way of testing its good intentions Syria could be asked to influence Hamas to move in an exclusively political direction.
“It may also be that Syria can assist in the opening up of relations with Iran,” he said.
Mr Cowen said Lebanese prime minister Fouad Siniora had told Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin during his recent trip in the region that it would be a mistake to continue to try and isolate Damascus. Saudi Arabia and others say the same, he said. Former US president George Bush named Syria on his axis of evil and ruled out engaging with Damascus.