Syrian V.P.'s Speech Enrages Saudis

Whoa Nellie! (as Keith Jackson used to shout out). Syria's Vice President, Farouq Al-Shar', made a speech recently in Syria and basically made these statements:

• Syria's supporters in Lebanon were in a better position today than they had been when Syrian forces were in Lebanon


• Syria's participation in the Annapolis conference had thwarted attempts to "divide the Arabs into moderates and extremists


• the Saudi royal family was opposed to the partition of Iraq because this might lead to the partition of the entire region - and Saudi Arabia might thereby lose control of its oil wells.

Bold, eh? The Lebanese aren't too happy with this speech but the Saudi press jumped all over Al-Shar and said:

'Saudi Arabia May Take Steps to Change the Course of Syria's
Future'

That is a quote from the editor of the Saudi Daily publication. I wonder...do you suppose the Syrians are getting bolder due to some other secret nuclear development sites that Israel hasn't found yet or perhaps they are just reassured now that Ahmadinejad will have the nukes soon and will protect them. Either way, the Syrians have never been known for any kind of diplomacy and tact so it will be interesting if anyone steps up to soften the hard feelings.

Full story is here at MEMRI.

Speech by Syrian Vice-President Al-Shar' Evokes Angry Responses in Saudi
Arabia

In a December 11, 2007 speech at the Syrian National Coalition Front
conference, Syrian Vice President Farouq Al-Shar' stated that Syria's supporters
in Lebanon were in a better position today than they had been when Syrian forces
were in Lebanon - since they now constituted a "real force on the ground."
Al-Shar' also expressed satisfaction that Syria's participation in the Annapolis
conference had thwarted attempts to "divide the Arabs into moderates and
extremists." He added that the Saudi royal family was opposed to the partition
of Iraq because this might lead to the partition of the entire region - and
Saudi Arabia might thereby lose control of its oil wells.
The speech evoked
angry responses in the Arab world, especially in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia. The
March 14 Forces in Lebanon said that it confirmed their claims about Syria's
extensive interference in Lebanon. The Kuwaiti daily Al-Siyassa, known for its
anti-Syrian leanings, reported that in light of the speech, several Arab
countries - most prominently Saudi Arabia - were thinking of transferring the
March 2008 Arab League summit from Damascus to Cairo, or of boycotting it by
sending low-level representatives.

The remark about the Saudi opposition to the partition of Iraq likewise
evoked irate reactions in the Saudi press, especially in light of the bitterness
still felt over a previous speech by Al-Shar', on August 14, 2007, in which he
stated that Saudi Arabia was "almost completely paralyzed [and unable to
fulfill] this important role [in the Gulf]."

Particularly harsh statements came from the editor of the Saudi daily
Al-Watan, Jamal Khashoggi, who implied that Saudi Arabia might take steps to
"accelerate the wheels of history" and hasten the collapse of the Syrian
regime