Syrian President to visit Spain

[NewGuy]

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040528132831.7q8cjn5i

28 May 2004

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad will pay a two-day official visit to Spain next week for talks expected to focus on Middle East developments and Damascus' relations with the European Union, diplomats said here Friday.

It will be the first visit to Madrid by an Arab leader since Socialist Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero came to power in April.

Assad was to meet on arrival Tuesday with King Juan Carlos and will later hold talks with Zapatero and various other Spanish political figures.

The diplomats said Assad's visit aims "to consolidate bilateral ties and to discuss regional and international issues of common interest," including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the situation in Iraq.

Syria, which two weeks ago was slapped with US economic sanctions after Washington accused it of backing terrorism, wants to sign an association agreement with the EU.

Apart from Libya, Syria is the only Mediterranean country which has not signed such an accord with the 25-member European bloc, designed to create a free-trade zone in the region.

Syria is hoping that Spain will help advance its cause in Brussels, where the deal is stalled by German, Dutch and British insistence that Damascus sign a supplementary clause tightening controls over weapons.

Syria and Spain maintain good relations. Spanish King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia paid a first official visit to Syria in October.

The US sanctions, which came on top of existing US terrorism penalties, include a near-blanket ban on US exports to Syria and the power to freeze Syrian assets in the United States.

 

[rtwngAvngr]

Dammit.

 

[NewGuy]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
Dammit.

What are your thoughts?

 

[rtwngAvngr]

My thoughts are: Dammit! How can europeans placate these terrorist fuckers?

 

[dilloduck]

Time to scramble the F-15s

 

[HGROKIT]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
My thoughts are: Dammit! How can europeans placate these terrorist fuckers?

They've been placating them for years. That is why we are virtually alone. Most of Europe does not see terrorism as a threat to their existence as we do.

Even after Spains' "3/11", no one over there has seemed to have grown any hair and have the willingness to stand up and say enough is enough.

It is going to take something very drastic for them to see the light and take action I am afraid. Until then, it will be primarily us and the few European and world allies we still have left.

What a pathetic lot. Socialism at its finest.

 

[Crazy88]

Originally posted by rtwngAvngr
My thoughts are: Dammit! How can europeans placate these terrorist fuckers?

It's bound to bite them in the ass sooner rather than later. As it is right now each and every one of the countries of old Europe have sizable Muslim populations. There are those who refuse to assimilate. How long can the idiot French keep them passified until the numbers are too great?

What goes around comes around and I hope the US lets them fend for themselves this time.

 

[Avatar4321]

It just goes to show you. Socialists will ally themselves with anyone.

 

[insein]

Yes but they are allying themselves with the enemy. Doesnt that make them OUR enemy. I mean i know politics these days are the real warfare. when a country can deny you the right to protect your own nation and call you an ally in the eyes of the world, thats truly a tactic that is hard to beat.

the EU is a growing force in the world and we must be very careful not to allow to grow too big.

 

[Crazy88]

NEW eastern Europe is a growing force as well. Poland for example. They may have joined the EU but none of them trust or like Schroeder and especially Chirac. They are considered bullies. These new countries have backed the US in the war on terror in ways they can while the Old European poops have not.

Now with the Oil-For-Food scandal, these old farts will be seen as corrupt entities whose selfishness and overblown self-importance are not worthy of dissrupting the new stronger alliances they have with the US and UK.

When all is said and done, perhaps not this year but maybe the next, the US and the rest of the "coalition of the willing" will again be seen to have been on the RIGHT side of history.

Fundamentalism will never be appeased. This is something the ridiculously blind socialist cows will never get until the blade is run across their necks ala Nick Berg, 3/11 and 9/11.