 | And remember, death is not an option: who's the worse kiss-up to thugs and dictators, Prodi or Zapatero? Answers in comments. |
ROME - Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi told Syrian leader Bashar Al Assad on Tuesday that this weekÂ’s visit to Damascus by the European UnionÂ’s top diplomat is a good opportunity to overcome SyriaÂ’s ostracism by the West.
Prodi talked by telephone with the Syrian president about EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana’s visit on Wednesday to a country largely shunned by the West for its alleged role in the 2005 assassination of Lebanese ex-premier Rafik Al Hariri. ‘This is a significant chance to work for resumed dialogue between Syria and the European Union and for better cooperation to reduce tension in various troublespots in the Middle East,’ Prodi told Assad, according to a statement from his office.
| Because all roads for peace just have to go through Damascus, don't they. |
Centre-left leader Prodi has fostered appeasement dialogue with Iran and Syria and led appeasement peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon, taking advantage of ItalyÂ’s lack of colonial baggage in the Middle East to act as a mediator. He withdrew Italian troops from Iraq last year.
| So everyone knows just how firm he is when it comes to peacekeeping. |
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