Segacs's World I Know

Posts Tagged ‘basher assad’

That’s how the Syrian Interior Minister described this week’s Syrian parliamentary elections, in which – surprise, surprise – the Ba’ath ruling party won:

The rubber-stamp legislature is likely to consolidate the rule of President Bashar Assad, who is expected to seek its nomination to run for a second seven-year term in July. There had been no doubt about the outcome, because the constitution guarantees the Baath Party and its allies a two-thirds majority in the parliament.

[ . . . ]

Interior Minister Bassam Abdel-Majid said the National Progressive Front, a grouping of 10 political parties led by Assad’s Baath Party, won 172 seats in the 250-member parliament in the tightly controlled elections on Sunday and Monday, an increase of five seats.

Abdel-Majid said the remaining 78 seats went to independents, who have to be approved by the government under Syrian law, and rarely challenge the administration.

Yes, we can clearly see how an election in which the ruling party is guaranteed to win, independents are hand-picked by the ruling party, and dissidents are barred from running or imprisoned, is free, democratic, transparent, and fair. That’s the kind of logic that apparently only applies in Syria… or maybe in Nancy Pelosi’s mind.

Israeli President Moshe Katsav shook hands with Syrian President Basher Assad and with Iranian President Mohammed Khatami, at the funeral for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican today:

Israeli President Moshe Katsav shook hands and chatted briefly Friday with the leaders of Israel’s arch-enemies, Syria and Iran, during the funeral of Pope John Paul II, the president’s office said.

Katsav’s spokeswoman, Hagit Cohen, said it was too early to say whether the handshakes would yield diplomatic fruits, but called the exchanges historic. “There is no doubt that this is a precedent, it was a historic moment and unique opportunity,” Cohen said.

Is this an encouraging sign of a future thaw? Positive news on a Friday afternoon is always welcome, and colour me crazy but I’m tempted to view this in an optimistic light, despite my better judgment. A baby step, to be sure, but a step nonetheless.

I can’t help but wonder what reaction will be like in Syria and Iran at the news.

Update: Well, I didn’t have to wonder long. Khatami is denying the handshakes took place, claiming it’s – what else? – a fabrication of the “Zionist media”. Can’t say that surprises me too much. (Via Meryl Yourish).