Regional press tackles Assad trip

Closer ties in the offing

The visit to Turkey by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, now in its second day, prompts much comment in the Turkish and Israeli press.

Turkish papers see rapprochement between Ankara and Damascus as crucial for the entire region, focusing in particular on common concern about the aspirations of Kurds in northern Iraq.

Some Israeli papers look at the opportunities the visit may deliver for peace in the Middle East.

The development of our relations with Syria is very important. After making peace with the Greeks, why should we fight with Syria and Iran? What's the benefit of this fight? Of course, these are relations which are not very easy for Turkey at all! Our strategic ally does not want us to establish any relations with these countries, and moreover it demands that we sever these relations! This is one of the hardest issues facing our government.

Turkey's Yeni Safak

---

No damage comes from friendship and dialogue, but from having neither. As a matter of fact, Assad's visit has been a chance for Turkey to make two suggestions to Syria to contribute to peace in the region. On the insistence of the US, one of them was for Syria to change its policy on [weapons of mass destruction]. And at Israel's insistence, the second one was the message that if Syria gives up supporting the Palestinian terrorist groups, its political relations can be put in order.

Turkey's Radikal

---

Not only those in the south, but other neighbours in the west and east have seen that any attempt to weaken Turkey from the outside through stealth will not bring results. On the other hand, Ankara has understood the mistake of directing its foreign policy only towards the West, especially towards integration with Europe. It has been clearly revealed that it is nonsense to rely on the West for a solution to the problems of the region. The problems can only be solved by the ones who live in and know the region.

Turkey's Cumhuriyet

---

The Kurdish issue, which had been separating Turkey and Syria... now pushes the two countries together. In the past, Syria held the Kurdish card [by letting the PKK leader and members live in its territories]... Today, events have developed so much that Turkey and Syria are clearly frightened of the possible establishment of a Kurdish state in the region. They are linking arms to prevent this.

Turkey's Posta

---

The improvement in relations between the two countries, which came very close to a war just a couple of years ago, and the ensuing co-operation, are noteworthy developments, not only for Turkey and Syria, but also for the Middle East. This is a development that will contribute to the establishment of peace and stability in the Middle East.

Turkey and Syria getting closer to each other can also be a positive contribution to relations between Syria and Israel.

Turkey's Milliyet

---

By using all known and unknown possibilities, the Israelis are trying to cut the family ties that Syria wants to establish with Turkey... As long as Ankara and Damascus see that reality and take appropriate measures, Israel will be unsuccessful, not only in its efforts on this issue but also in all its policies.

Turkey's Yeni Safak

---

Perhaps nothing will come out of Assad's statements [about readiness for peace with Israel]... But, if he honestly and truly wants peace, we are missing yet another opportunity, and no one knows if it will ever return... History will not forgive those who are in power today, and our sons and grandchildren will not forgive those who missed this chance.

Israel's Yediot Ahronot

---

Just as Israel has claimed many times that Yasser Arafat is not a partner for peace, the Syrians can claim, and indeed are so doing, that the Israeli Government is not a true partner for peace talks. Although there are glimmers of a willingness to conduct negotiations, on the whole the Syrians are right.

The Israeli leadership recoils from the price involved in negotiations with Syria... Israel must not reject the Syrian offer under present circumstances... Israel cannot be perceived as the rejectionist party in this matter.

Israel's Haaretz

---

Brig-Gen Ibal Giladi, who has just retired from his job... is one of the Israeli Army's most brilliant officers. But whoever read what he said a week ago at Tel Aviv University is liable to think that a time machine had taken him back to the period after the Six-Day War... Giladi said 'the Israeli Army could reach Damascus as quickly as the US reached Baghdad, and Assad's regime would face collapse'... According to him, if we fight the Syrians, the objective should not be to win, but to re-shape the region.

Israel's Maariv

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.