White House officials are once again visiting Syria. It is a political gamble, reports Bassel Oudat in Damascus The Syrian capital Damascus will play host to a number of US officials in the next few days. They come with a two-topic agenda. First, the peace process that is stalled on all tracks; second, ways of improving Syrian-US relations that are still in test mode. Frederick Hoff, assistant to US Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, is expected to land in Damascus today to continue consultations with Syria's leadership regarding regional peace. Meanwhile, a US delegation -- including Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Jeffrey Feltman and head of the Middle East division of the National Security Council Daniel Shapiro -- will be in town in the coming weeks. The visit will most likely take place next month, on the heels of the Arab summit in Libya on 27 March, to discuss US President Barack Obama's strategy to engage Syria and what is needed from Damascus to gain Washington's approval. The US itinerary coincides with the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on Tuesday to examine the nomination of Robert Ford as US ambassador to Damascus. Ford is the former US deputy chief of mission in Baghdad. His nomination as ambassador will be put to the vote in the coming weeks. Syria is optimistic about the multiple visits in the belief that they demonstrate special attention from Washington, recognition of its pivotal role in the region, and the US's concession on the importance of bilateral ties. All the officials have visited Damascus over the past months, during which some clearly pronounced Washington's caution on warming relations. Others remained silent, leaving the Syrians to come to their own conclusions. Hoff's boss, Mitchell, stated on his last visit to Damascus at the beginning of the year that the Obama administration is seeking "to achieve a comprehensive peace on all tracks, including the Syrian track". According to Syrian sources, Damascus will discuss with Hoff its objections to the decision by the Arab follow-up committee for the resumption of indirect talks between the Palestinians and Israelis. Syrian officials will also confer on statements by Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu that Israel has "signalled" that it is willing to let Turkey continue mediating efforts for proxy negotiations with Syria. The US-sponsored peace process has not achieved much. A few days ago, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad insisted "there is no party in Israel interested in achieving peace." Assad added: "Turkish mediators are sincere and working with Syria to reach security and stability in the Middle East." But it is unlikely that this matter will see much progress unless the US agrees to sponsor negotiations, as Syria has urged. So far, Ankara has already sponsored four rounds of indirect peace talks between the two sides since 2008. These were the first of their kind since the Syrian track in the peace process ground to a halt in 2000. Feltman and Shapiro will focus on bilateral relations with Syria, a matter that is no less complicated than the peace process -- especially that Republicans in Congress oppose closer ties with Damascus. It appears US-Syrian relations are governed by the principle of "can't live with them, can't live without them". The Syrians believe that this relationship is now entering a new evolved phase, especially after the nomination of a new US ambassador to Damascus and Washington's receptiveness to begin negotiations to pave the way for Syria to join the World Trade Organisation. This contrasts with the stance of George W Bush's administration that had blocked Syria's attempts since 2001. In terms of repairing relations between Damascus and Washington, the US hopes to alter Syria's conduct through continued dialogue. Obama suggested sending an ambassador to Damascus to "consult on issues of concern for the US through dialogue," according to Feltman. Washington will send an ambassador to Damascus almost five years after recalling Ambassador Margaret Scobey in the wake of the assassination of Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri in 2005. Officials heading to Syria expect more than Arab hospitality. They expect Damascus to distance itself from its old friends, such as Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and Hizbullah, and are encouraging it to step away from its ally Iran. Washington also wants Syria to prevent jihadists from crossing its border into Iraq and to stop interfering in Iraqi and Lebanese affairs. The appointment of a new ambassador is part of the US administration's strategy of communicating with its adversaries to serve Washington's wider geopolitical interests in the Middle East. No doubt it has required a lot of Syria in return for appointing an ambassador. Damascus gladly welcomes the visits by US officials and the new ambassador, and believes that Washington has changed its policy and is now asking Syria to assist it in solving the problems of the region, such as achieving stability in Iraq, maintaining the peace in Lebanon and ending the Arab-Israeli conflict. Accordingly, the Syrians feel they are once again at the heart of Middle East affairs, after having been dropped as a major international player. Syria, however, is uncharacteristically in no hurry and seems set to only give the Americans half of what they are asking for. Damascus announced it is willing to recognise Israel if the latter returns the Golan Heights that were annexed in 1967, demanding that this should first be achieved through indirect talks and later direct negotiations under US sponsorship. At the same time, it restated its right to support Palestinian and Lebanese resistance as long as Israel continues to occupy their lands. Syria also insists on a comprehensive deal that will end all regional conflict; Syria knows that peace in the region will take a long time to realise, which is to its benefit. Meanwhile, Damascus has improved its ties with Beirut, accepted the exchange of ambassadors and supports political tranquillity in Lebanon. It received Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri as a special guest after years of animosity, and wants the US Syria Accountability Act -- which was issued during the crisis between the two countries -- abolished. Syria, however, has not publicly abandoned its support of its political allies in Lebanon. At the same time, the US and Israel accuse it of continuing to arm Hizbullah at an unprecedented rate. On the matter of the Palestinians, Syria has announced it is adopting a neutral position. On several occasions it has received Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who has good relations with the US and palatable ties with Israel. At the same time, Syria is home to the leaders of groups that are ardent enemies of both Israel and the US, such as Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine's General Command. It adamantly refuses to expel them from Syrian territories, or pressure them into accepting a truce with Israel or to reconcile with Abbas on his terms. Although some US officials are optimistic about how relations are developing with Damascus, saying that they are heading in the right direction, in reality these ties are still marred with diverging points of view on all problematic issues, including Iran, Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and Israel. Most of these disagreements remain in place and threaten bilateral reconciliation efforts. According to the US, Syria continues to support radical groups, terrorist groups in Iraq, is a regional ally of Iran, an advocate of combative Palestinian factions, and refuses to reach a settlement with Israel. In turn, Damascus hopes that visiting US officials will be convinced of the need to embrace and trust Syria, to the extent of lifting economic sanctions, accepting the role of mediator in peace talks with Israel, and endorsing a regional role for Syria. Opinions are divided regarding the implications of the ongoing détente between Washington and Syria. There are those who believe that by extending a hand in friendship to Syria, the US will achieve modest benefits but would deal a strong blow to Iran, Hizbullah and Hamas. Others feel it is impossible to peel Syria away from its allies, and assert that the US's rapprochement with Syria is a gamble.
