Wayzata World Factbook 1996/The World Factbook - 1996 Edition - Wayzata Technology (3079) (1996).iso/mac/TEXT/backgrd/syria.bkh

Text File | 1995-12-29 | 12KB | 227 lines

U.S. Department of State
Background Notes:  Syria, October 1995 (CONTINUED)
Bureau of Public Affairs


October 1995
Official Name:  Syrian Arab Republic

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Ensuring national security, increasing influence among its Arab
neighbors, and achieving a comprehensive Arab-Israeli peace settlement
which includes the return of the Golan Heights are the primary goals of
President Asad's foreign policy.  Syria's participation in the U.S.-led
multinational coalition aligned against Saddam Hussein marked a dramatic
watershed in Syria's relations both with other Arab states and with the
West.  Syria participated in the multilateral Middle East Peace
Conference in Madrid in October 1991.

While Syria's involvement with the multinational coalition during the
Gulf war and participation in the peace process have helped to improve
Syria's relations with the West, concern remains over the continuing
presence of terrorist groups in Syria and Syrian-controlled areas of
Lebanon, Syria's human rights record, and Syrian involvement in
narcotics activity in Lebanon.  Syria's relations with Western nations
were particularly strained in the past decade because of Syrian support
for groups involved in international terrorism, including the Popular
Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC), the
Palestine Islamic Jihad (PIJ), the Abu Nidal Organization (ANO),
Hizballah, the Turkish Revolutionary Left (Dev Sol), the Kurdish Workers
Party (PKK), and the Japanese Red Army (JRA).

Relations with Other Arab Countries

Syria's relations with the Arab world were strained by its support for
Iran during the Iran-Iraq War, which began in 1980. With the end of the
war in August 1988, Syria began a slow process of reintegration with the
other Arab states.  In 1989, it joined with the rest of the Arab world
in readmitting Egypt to the 19th Arab League Summit at Casablanca.

This decision, prompted in part by Syria's need for Arab League support
of its own position in Lebanon, marked the end of the Syrian-led
opposition to Egypt and the 1977-79 Sadat initiative toward Israel, as
well as the Camp David accords.  It coincided with the end of the 10-
year Arab subsidy to Syria and other front-line Arab countries pledged
at Baghdad in 1978.  Syria reestablished full diplomatic relations with
Egypt in 1989.  In the 1990-91 Gulf war, Syria joined other Arab states
in the U.S.-led multinational coalition against Iraq.

Involvement in Lebanon

Syria plays an important role in Lebanon by virtue of its history, size,
power, and economy.  Lebanon was part of post-Ottoman Syria until 1926,
when the French established Lebanon as a separate nation.  The presence
of Syrian troops in Lebanon dates to 1976, when President Asad
intervened in the Lebanese civil war on behalf of Maronite Christians.

Following the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, Syrian and Israeli
forces clashed in eastern Lebanon.  The late U.S. Ambassador Philip
Habib negotiated a cease-fire in Lebanon and the subsequent evacuation
of PLO fighters from West Beirut.

However, Syrian opposition blocked implementation of the May 17, 1983,
Lebanese-Israeli accord on the withdrawal of Israeli forces from
Lebanon.  Following the February 1984 withdrawal of the UN Multinational
Force from Beirut and the departure of most of Israel's forces from
southern Lebanon a year later, Syria launched an unsuccessful initiative
to reconcile warring Lebanese factions and establish a permanent cease-
fire.

Syria actively participated in the March-September 1989 fighting between
the Christian Lebanese Forces and Muslim forces allied with Syria.  In
1989, Syria endorsed the Charter of National Reconciliation, or "Taif
Accord," a comprehensive plan for ending the Lebanese conflict
negotiated under the auspices of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Morocco.

At the request of Lebanese President Hrawi, the Syrian  military took
joint action with the Lebanese Armed Forces on October 13, 1990, to oust
rebel General Michel Aoun who had defied efforts at reconciliation with
the legitimate Government of Lebanon.  The process of disarming and
disbanding the many Lebanese militias began in earnest in early 1991.
In May 1991, Lebanon and Syria signed the treaty of brotherhood,
cooperation, and coordination called for in the Taif Accord which is
intended to provide the basis for many aspects of Syrian-Lebanese
relations.  The treaty provides the most explicit recognition to date by
the Syrian Government of Lebanon's independence and sovereignty.
According to the U.S. interpretation of the Taif Accord, Syria and
Lebanon were to have decided on the redeployment of Syrian forces from
Beirut and other coastal areas of Lebanon by September 1992.

Arab-Israeli Relations

Syria was an active belligerent in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, which
resulted in Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights and the city of
Quneitra.  Following the October 1973 Arab-Israeli war, which left
Israel in occupation of additional Syrian territory, Syria accepted UN
Security Council Resolution 338, which signaled an implicit acceptance
of Resolution 242.  Resolution 242, which became the basis for the peace
process negotiations begun in Madrid, calls for a just and lasting
Middle East peace to include withdrawal of Israeli armed forces from
territories occupied in 1967, termination of the state of belligerency
and acknowledgment of the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and
political independence of all regional states and of their right to live
in peace within secure and recognized boundaries.

As a result of the mediation efforts of then U.S. Secretary of State
Henry Kissinger, Syria and Israel achieved a disengagement agreement in
May 1974, enabling Syria to recover territory lost in the October war
and part of the Golan Heights occupied by Israel since 1967, including
Quneitra.  The two sides have effectively implemented the agreement.

In December 1981, the Israeli Knesset voted to extend Israeli law to the
part of the Golan Heights over which Israel retained control.  The
United Nations Security Council subsequently passed a resolution calling
on Israel to rescind this measure.

Syria participated in the Middle East Peace Conference in Madrid in
October 1991.  Although serious gaps remain between Syria and Israel,
through the mediation of the U.S., real negotiations are underway which
have become detailed and substantive.  Concrete ideas have been conveyed
on key issues such as withdrawal, security arrangements, normalization
of relations, timing, phasing.

Syria is a member of:  the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa,
Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Arab League, Arab
Monetary Fund, Council of Arab Economic Unity, Customs Cooperation
Council, Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, Food and
Agricultural Organization, Group of 24, Group of 77, International
Atomic Energy Agency, International Bank for Reconstruction and
Development, International Civil Aviation Organization, International
Chamber of Commerce, International Development Association, Islamic
Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development,
International Finance Corporation, International Labor Organization,
International Monetary Fund, International Maritime Organization,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, International Olympic Committee, International
Organization for Standardization, International Telecommunication Union,
League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Non-Aligned Movement,
Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, Organization of the
Islamic Conference, United Nations, UN Conference on Trade and
Development, UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, UN
Industrial Development Organization, UN Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East, Universal Postal Union, World
Federation of Trade Unions, World Health Organization, World
Meteorological Organization, and World Tourism Organization.

U.S.-SYRIAN RELATIONS

U.S.-Syrian relations, severed in 1967, were resumed in June 1974,
following the achievement of the Syrian-Israeli disengagement agreement.
In recent years, Syria and the U.S. have worked together in areas of
mutual interest.  In 1990-91, Syria cooperated with the U.S. as a member
of the multinational coalition of forces in the Gulf war.  The U.S. and
Syria also consulted closely on the Taif Accord ending the civil war in
Lebanon.

In 1991, President Asad made a historic decision to accept then
President Bush's invitation to attend a Middle East peace conference and
to engage in subsequent bilateral negotiations with Israel.  Syria's
efforts to secure the release of Western hostages held in Lebanon and
its lifting of restrictions on travel by Syrian Jews helped further to
improve relations between Syria and the United States.  President
Clinton met President Asad in Geneva in January 1994 and again in
October, when he traveled to Damascus.

The U.S. continues to have serious differences with Syria, however.
Syria has been on the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism since the
list's inception in 1979.  Because of its continuing support and safe-
haven for terrorist organizations, Syria is subject to legislatively
mandated penalties, including export sanctions and ineligibility to
receive most forms of U.S. aid or to purchase U.S. military equipment.

In 1986, the U.S. withdrew its ambassador and imposed additional
administrative sanctions on Syria in response to evidence of direct
Syrian involvement in an attempt to blow up an Israeli airplane.  A U.S.
ambassador returned to Damascus in 1987, partially in response to
positive Syrian actions against terrorism such as expelling the Abu
Nidal Organization from Syria and helping free an American hostage
earlier that year.  There is no evidence that Syrian officials have been
directly involved in planning or executing terrorist attacks since 1986.

Other issues of U.S. concern include Syria's human rights record, the
involvement of some Syrian military and security officials in the
Lebanese drug trade, and full implementation of the Taif Accord.  In its
ongoing bilateral dialogue, the U.S. urges Syria to cease providing
support and safehaven to terrorist groups, improve its human rights
performance, prosecute Syrians involved in the drug trade, cooperate
with Lebanon in implementing a comprehensive narcotics control and
eradication program in Lebanon's Biqa' Valley, and redeploy its forces
in Lebanon in accordance with the Taif Accord.

Principal U.S. Officials

Ambassador--Christopher W.S. Ross
Deputy Chief of Mission--Marjorie A. Ransom
Political Officer--Douglas C. Greene
Economic/Commercial Officer--David Rundell
Consular Officer--Greta Holtz
Administrative Officer--Ronald L. Gain
Public Affairs Officer--Alberto M. Fernandez
Defense Attache--vacant

The U.S. embassy is located at Abu Roumaneh, Al-Mansur St. No. 2; P.O.
Box 29; Tel. [phone], 332557, 330416, 332315, 332814, 714108,
337178, 333232; USIS Tel: 331878, 338413; telex 411919 USDAMA SY; FAX
(963)(11) 718687.

Travel Notes

Climate and clothing:  The climate compares to that of Arizona.

Customs and currency:  Passports are required.  U.S. tourists require
visas for entry.

Health:  Although not meeting U.S. standards, public health poses no
particular problems.  Vegetables and fruits should be washed and cooked;
drink bottled water.

Telecommunications:  Local and international telephone and telegraph
service is available.

==============================
Background Notes Series -- Published by the United States Department of
State  --  Bureau of Public Affairs  --  Office of Public Communication
--  Washington, DC  --  This material is in the public domain and can be
reproduced without consent; citation of this source is appreciated.
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