Main focus of Friday, September 5, 2008

Change through rapprochement

At a four-way summit in Damascus, French President Nicolas Sarkozy discussed the Middle East conflict and the nuclear dispute with Iran with his counterparts from Syria, Qatar and Turkey. Sarkozy hopes his efforts will bring Syria out of its international isolation. Will the summit help foster political development in the Middle East?

The Irish Times - Ireland

The Irish Times praises the current EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy's diplomatic efforts in Syria: "Three tracks of diplomacy were on the table during President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Damascus this week: Syria's relations with Lebanon, Iran's nuclear enrichment programme, and attempts to get negotiations between Syria and Israel on a peace settlement under way. ... It took courage for Mr Sarkozy to venture into such a complicated but interlinked field without much assurance of making progress on any of them; and however limited the movement that actually occurred during his visit, it was undoubtedly worth the effort. ... Combining his role as French head of state with his current presidency of the European Union, Mr Sarkozy brought much-needed energy and some potential initiative to what has been a stagnant and neglected field of international politics for too long. ... For all the lack of visible movement yesterday, Mr Sarkozy's willingness to take risks is a refreshing change. ... If such initiatives produce results they will be welcomed. Mr Sarkozy is on a learning curve, but a necessary one." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » Middle East

Frankfurter Rundschau - Germany

The Frankfurter Rundschau applauds President Sarkozy's mediation efforts in the Middle East. "Shaking hands with rogues? ... New dynamism has been brought to the well-worn system for identifying good and evil in the Middle East. Under the leadership of the agile French president [Nicolas Sarkozy], the EU is attempting to sound out new courses of action. Because Europeans have always gone along with the US idea of an 'axis of evil' rather against their will. And states like Turkey and Qatar, which enjoy the trust of both the Arab world and the Israeli-American side, have proved themselves as new mediators in peace efforts with Israel. Sarkozy, too, has positioned himself well. He has put an end to his predecessor Chirac's policy of isolating Sryria, and at the same time he has built up more trust in France's relations with Israel. ... If he could resolve the conflict with Syria, it could even result in a solution of the nuclear contention with Iran." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » Security Policy / Crises / War, » France, » Europe, » Turkey, » Middle East
All available articles from » Martin Gehlen

Diário de Notícias - Portugal

The daily Diário de Notícias dedicates its leading article to Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Damascus: "Sarkozy has once more used his political weight to seek a solution to an endless conflict. After the liberation of the FARC hostages and the ceasefire between Russia and Georgia, he is now helping Turkey's mediation efforts in the peace process between Syria and Israel. The meeting in Damascus between Sarkozy, Syria's president Bashar al-Assad, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Emir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa, led immediately to the announcement of the next round of talks between Syria and Israel in two weeks. ... France has historic relations with Syria and Lebanon. Sarkozy's visit to Syria puts an end to the freeze in political relations between France and Syria and fills the void created by the isolation policy ... of the Bush administration against Assad. This ongoing peace process will also lead Lebanon to improve its relations with Israel and reduce Iran's political influence on Syria." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » France, » Turkey, » Middle East, » Israel

Le Figaro - France

The daily Le Figaro sees French EU Council President Nicolas Sarkozy's efforts as a good basis for cooperation with the US on the Middle East conflict. "In Damascus Nicolas Sarkozy paved the way for France's return to the debate on the future of the Middle East. ... If French diplomacy is spreading to all fronts this is because France currently holds the rotating EU presidency and wants to avoid a standstill after Ireland's No to the Lisbon treaty. ... However the rest of the world is waiting for the US elections on November 4. As George W. Bush's time in power ends it is obvious that there is a gap to be filled. ... In Damascus Sarkozy prepared the ground for the opening of direct negotiations between Syria and Israel. ... The relationship of trust he has been able to build with the United States and with Israel has given Sarkozy more legitimacy in these attempts to establish peace without offending those who are absent. ... No matter what the outcome of the US elections ... George W. Bush's successor will certainly not be able to complain that he lacks energetic partners in Europe." (05/09/2008)

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More from the press review on the subject » International Relations, » EU enlargement, » France, » U.S.
All available articles from » Pierre Rousselin

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