Syrian President, First Lady Praise Obama

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria's leader praised President Barack Obama's outreach for dialogue and invited him to visit Damascus in remarks released Friday just days after the United States said it plans to return its ambassador to Syria after a four year absence.

Syrian President Bashar Assad comments came in a telegram he sent to Obama on the occasion of the July 4 Independence Day and in an interview he gave to Britain's Sky News.

Also on Sky News, Syria's First Lady Asma al Assad said she envisioned her husband, Bashar, and Barack Obama joining forces.

"The fact is President Obama is young," al Assad said, "and President Assad is also very young as well, so maybe it is time for these young leaders to make a difference in the world."

President Assad's comments also come a month after Obama outlined in a historic speech in Egypt his determination to broker peace among Israel and its Arab neighbors and improve U.S. relations in the region.

"The values that were adopted by President Obama during his election campaign and after he was elected president are values that the world needs today," Assad said in the telegram that was carried by state-run news agency SANA.

"It is very important to adopt the principle of dialogue in relations with countries based on respect and mutual interest," Assad said.

In June, U.S Mideast envoy George Mitchell visited Damascus and met Assad in the highest visit by a U.S. official in more than four years. Mitchell's visit followed two separate trips in the past few months by senior U.S. officials Jeffrey Feltman, acting assistant secretary of state, and Daniel Shapiro, a Middle East expert at the White House.

The Obama administration hopes the diplomatic outreach will encourage Syria to play a positive role in both the Mideast peace process and also in Iraq.

In an interview with Sky News, Assad invited Obama to visit Damascus in order to discuss Mideast peace.

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"We would like to welcome him (Obama) in Syria, definitely. I am very clear about this," Assad said in English. Asked whether such a visit could take place soon, Assad said: "That depends on him."

He added with a smile, "I will ask you to convey the invitation to him."

The Obama administration has stepped up pressure on Arab countries to help resume Israeli-Palestinian peace talks and pursue a peace deal with the Jewish state themselves. Syria is seen as a key player in this process because of its support for the Palestinian militant group Hamas that controls the Gaza Strip and its intermittent peace talks with Israel.

Syria held four rounds of indirect talks with Israel last year, mediated by Turkey. But the discussions were halted during the Israeli offensive on Gaza in December and January.

Last week, Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs said Obama's plans to send back an ambassador to Syria.

The U.S. withdrew its ambassador to Syria in 2005 after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Some Lebanese politicians blamed Syria for the assassination, a claim that Damascus denies.

The U.S. also has accused Syria of not doing enough to stop the infiltration of militants to fight U.S. and allied forces in neighboring Iraq.

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Associated Press writer Bassem Mroue in Beirut contributed to this report.

Comments

[JaneQCitizen]

Wow. A Syrian president inviting an American president to come visit. That's huge. Maybe the world can change after all.

[brooklyncitizen]

Syria has been forthcoming for quite some time...the US not so much.

[hawkweed]

Does no one remember Lebanon?

[Alcove-One]

What do you know about Syria and the Assad family Jane? Not much I bet.

[P2MAY]

are you identical to your father ?

[Kels78]

Wow, I admit I didn't know much about the president and first lady of Syria, but after researching them I am quite impressed. They are both extremely well-educated people, and the first lady seems to be very invested in helping others. Of course I don't agree with everything Assad does, but I think it's great to start a dialogue with him. He and Obama are almost the same age too! A lot of the time it takes youth to bring change...

[Alcove-One]

How about researching Syria's nuclear program supplied by N. Korea?

[brooklyncitizen]

how about researching Israel's nukular arsenal?

[Torita]

Isolating regimes that we are suspicious of, or even dislike, hasn't worked - it's only caused greater tension and escalating conflicts. We should only isolate the real crazies, like North Korea, and try to work with the rest somehow...some of us need to swallow some bitter pills about the damage that Bush did to our reputation and power with his arrogance, ignorance, and incompetence. We are no longer as powerful as we were before Bush took office, and if we continue using his "strategy," we will continue to lose international influence. If we continue to isolate Syria, they will continue to buy weapons from North Korea, and we will have nothing to say about it. That's the unfortunate truth. If we open a dialogue in good faith, we stand a much better chance of having some influence over them. The days are over when we could cripple or marginalize a nation simply by refusing to engage in talks with them. We need to be smarter now, not just mightier.

[P2MAY]

how about researching Israel's nuclear program

[KickerBoard]

She's beautiful. This move is Assad taking risks as bold for him as Obama's are the other way round. Good luck to both men. The world can't continue the way it is.

[Alcove-One]

That's right. Time to make deals with slave masters and their beautiful wives who sold themselves to ugly tyrants. I love libs. They are so rational.

[KickerBoard]

Oh, sorry - forgot. Far better to wage illegal wars to remake the world in your own image.

[chascates]

Syria's First Lady is a fox and I mean that in the most respectful way.

[Alcove-One]

Sorry, she's only into rich and poweful tyrants who killed off political reformers in Lebanon and who's father eliminated 20,000 people in Hama, Syria in 1982.
You guy's didn't know that did you?

[Alcove-One]

Wise to be respectful to dictators wife.

[dwright]

yes I always liked Laura Bush

[KickerBoard]

Nah, Lynn Cheney's as warped as her husband.

[timinhi]

Thanks for breaking the ice and saying what I'm sure many others here were thinking. I wanted to say that too, but was afraid it might be inappropriate in this forum.

[Helanren]

It's not often that 'fox' and 'respect' can be found in the same sentence in a HuffPo post.... ;-).

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

Remember the time that President George W. Bush went to some meeting in South America of heads of state, and got IGNORED? It's nice to have a president who doesn't send OTHER presidents running for the hills!

[Alcove-One]

No, they take full advantage of him.

[Libertyfan]

I'd say that it's an embarrassment that Obama is given any endorsement from a dictator the likes of Assad or his hausfrau.

[TLV]

It would not be Obama's embarrassment.

[P2MAY]

the only embarrassment was George W. Bush and his cowboy policies.

[boredwell]

Assad sent a telegram? No fax, email, skype, voicemail, video conference call? Whazzup, Syria? OMG, they could use some good old American tech tools. Mr President, be sure to give him an iphone or, ah, blackberry when you see him so you guys can keep in touch. It will save Assad a trip to western union in downtown Damascus. Be sure to put input speed dials to Silicon Valley manufacturers, too.

[Realization]

Working on the relationship with Syria is a decent start. It will limit Iran's options if it works and there is no reason it shouldn't. Except, of course, Israel. If we really want to make a difference in the Middle East it is necessary to do what is necessary to achieve peace. That means a just solution to the Israeli-Palestinian issue as well as peace between Syria and Israel. It is possible to defuse radicalism (on both sides) but it won't be easy.

[filo]

Nice well thought out post....Fanned !

[Alcove-One]

Iran runs Syria and operates several terrorist groups in Damascus.
There are gangsters who will take advantage of any weakness.
They read the useful idiots on this thread and they see weakness.

[TLV]

That does not mean they "run" all of the nation of Syria. They run certain things in Syria, just as the mob or Latino gangs or black community organizations or even elderly neighborhood watch groups do here.

[TalkTalkTAlk]

Wow shes pretty, id trade all our Hardee's, Mcdonalds, Arbee's women for her

[califlefty]

I wonder how much HufPo reader's know about the lives of women in Syria? Not much I would fathom. This woman's smiling face belies the fact that women in Syria live in nothing less then an on-going hell. Perhaps all the progressives here and supporters of women's rights will meet her at the airport and demand answers as to why her husband isn't improving the lives of women in Syria. You may be interested in reading the UN's study about violence against women in Syria here: http://www.unifem.org/attachments/stories/currents_200606_SyriaVAWstudyKeyFindings.pdf

Here's a sample of what was admitted to: 67% of women had been punished in front of their family members; 52% of the punished women were insulted; 56% were deprived of pocket money and 87% were beaten.

Behind the smile - terror! Maybe the Obama's will raise the issue?

[jcwtts1]

Wow, you have to get out of your American centric world view. The world doesn't live the way we do in the US. How about talking to some Muslim women before passing judgment on an entire culture.

[Alcove-One]

Yeah, women in the Arab world enjoy being enslaved.
Am I out of my "American centric world view" enough?

[califlefty]

The report was from the UN, not from the US. Question: Is starvation in No Korea acceptable a social norm as opposed to "American centric" nutrition? Is it also OK that children in Africa are dying of disease because, well it's their "way of life" and we shouldn't impose our values of insisting they be given a simple injection? May I suggest that perhaps before judging a viewpoint as to it's political merits you might use a relative moral value as a yardstick?

You know I would love to talk to some Muslim women about this subject but I wouldn't want to subject any to punishment for SPEAKING with a non-related male. Ooops... there's that darn cultural bias again!

[Constant]

Have you been to Syria? Along with the Lebanese, the Syrian culture is probably the most liberal in the region. I'm not saying that bad things don't happen...they happen everywhere...i'm sure i can get you links about women abuse happenning in the U.S. A lot of the things people read about Syria aren't right or are exaggerated.

[tommy8]

Yea, Muslim women will tell you they don't mind wearing a headscarf. Now what they don't tell you is that wearing a headscarf is better than getting beat up by their husband, brother and/or father.

[PerfectSense]

The most liberal culture in the area with respect to women's rights is in I.s.ra.el. Syria is not even close.

[BBC9nch]

I appreciate the passion that you have on this issue, I have not been to Syria but I visited Saudi Arabia 8 years ago and was shocked to find that women weren't even allowed to drive.

[Constant]

I'm assuming that was a response to my comment...I'm Syrian so that's why my comment seems passionate. But comparing Saudi Arabia to Syria is not the best comparison...Women in Syria drive, vote, go to college, own businesses, and hold office.

[kgdr24]

You are absolutely right! Until equal rights are given to woman, this government does not earn my respect in any way shape or form. There is cruelty and inequity for women in every country in the world- that is true. However, one of the people that commented on your sensitive remarks, rather innanely compared America to a country like Syria which does not have women's rights guaranteed or protected legally. Women's activists have worked long and hard in this country to ensure that we have laws that condemn discrimination against women. This fight continues, but at least, here in America, we continue to care about and fight for these issues. Thank you for your very thoughtful post and link!

[grata2ude]

Do you deny that women are not beaten and abused daily in this country as well? This is like pointing out a splinter in someone's eye while have a log sticking out of your own.

[SadButWiser]

You see, in the US when women get beaten and abused, that is because the want to. They enjoy it. Unlike, the Muslim world, women get beaten even when the do not want to...they have no say in the matter...

[roshni]

This is a great development. I hope relations improve in the ME with more dialog between parties.

[Georgiapundit]

Send Gordon Brown to Syria.

[globalcitizenlinda]

Republican heads will explode if President Obama makes headyway on the middle east region

[Whitley2009]

Amen.

[roshni]

He already is.

[Alcove-One]

No. It is the people on the streets of Iran who have real exploding heads at the moment.
Iran runs Syria.

[Constant]

I'm Syrian and i'm very happy to see there are a lot of positive posts on this. People here in Syria really want better relations with the US...just as long as it's based on mutual respect & benefits and not about being treated as puppets. Syrians are good people...we do have a few bad apples but so does the U.S. Some posters that claim we shouldn't be trusted know nothing about ME politics. Again, thanks for the positive posts.

[Whitley2009]

I know a lot of Syrian-Americans, all great people.

[Sweetbay]

Thank you for posting. Maybe this time we are ready to get it right.

[alexa07]

Yes, the golden key is "mutual respect & benefits."

[roshni]

With the Obama adminsitration, there is hope that we will have expanded global relations. I would personally love to go to Aleppo.

[Paula Ann]

For several years I worked in a multi-national environment in a Gulf State. Without a doubt, Syrians were the most genuine, thoughtful, and honest of all. Best food, too!!

[Constant]

Thanks for the wonderful comment! Working in the Gulf is a wonderful way for Americans to get to know the culture of the region. I grew up in the gulf and some of my best friends are Americans.

[globalcitizenlinda]

President Obama is breaking down barriers one by one on the international stage - and for most of them (except Iraq and Afaghanistan) he is doing it by not firing a bullet but rather using his voice!!! The irony of the reward from rhetoric given all those who criticized him during the campaign that words do not matter

[Alcove-One]

Except for Neda of course.

[TokyoCalling]

Diplomacy is so refreshing.
The Adults are back in charge. When will the republicans learn you cant be a bully all the time and send other peoples children off to die in their little ideologically driven adventures around the globe. While they sit comfortably at home playing armchair quarterback.

[Alcove-One]

Hey TokyoCalling
Didn't Democrats bomb Tokyo?