Will Bashar Repeat His Father's Surprise?

Many news sources have indicated that President Bashar Al-Assad will not head the Syrian delegation to the United Nations' summit in New York next week. Although this appears to be the case, the official Syrian news agency SANA has not ruled his visit out completely:

Syria Does not Confirm President Assad Participation at UN Summit
New York, September 6, (SANA) –

Syrian senior official to the UN announced on Tuesday there was no official confirmation that President Bashar al-Assad would head the Syrian delegation to UN summit in New York.

“We did not receive any official confirmation from the Syrian capital on whether President Bashar al-Assad will head the Syrian delegation to the United Nations Summit that will open September 14,” Syria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations told the Syrian T.V. this evening.

Faysal Miqdad said that Syria was showing a great interest in this summit and the international action in general noting that the Syrian delegation in New York was following up standing political preparations for the summit.

Miqdad hoped the international interests in the summit would not be retreated following the nature catastrophe that hit the United States which occupied the US public opinion as well the international interest.

Syria’s permanent representative to the UN voiced at the same time “Syria’s strong sympathy with victims of this grave incident.”

S. Younes.

Many sources have suggested that President Al-Assad wants to stay away from New York due to reports from people close to Mehlis who are indicating that major elements within the Syrian regime were involved in the Al-Hariri assassination. Rumors are circulating that the President could be held by US officials if there is evidence that he was involved in the assassination. Others are saying that the President is fearful of a coup by top officials in the regime who are upset with his handling of the situation following international pressure to withdraw from Lebanon. Could these really be reasons for the President not to attend the summit?

First of all, the Mehlis report has sought a 40-day extension according to news sources. Until the final report is published, nobody can accuse anyone of anything. These reports that Mehlis has concluded the majority of his work and now has a clear idea of who was most likely behind the assassination have no credibility until he comes to Syria, carries out his interviews, and then presents his findings. As of right now, the President has no reason to avoid New York if this is the case. Simultaneously, the United States doesn't have the power to detain the President because there are no charges against him with regards to this inquiry.

A recent article I read suggested that the President was fearful of a coup in his country. If this information is coming from the same man who defected from the Syrian regime to give evidence to Mehlis, I think we can all count that it is as bogus as his testimony to the German investigator. I would like to see the bank account of this defector before and after he fled Syria in order to see whether he had been tipped heavily.

I haven't ruled out President Al-Assad's visit to New York completely. The fact is that most of the news articles saying that he will not be attending are coming from Lebanese papers. No official report has come from Damascus. Some officials in Syria were upset to hear these claims since they were hoping that this would be the President's chance to give his case before the world.

I suggest we all go back in time to just after February 7, 1999. King Hussein of Jordan had just died and world leaders were preparing to head off to Amman to attend the state funeral. Everyone was doubtful as to whether President Hafez Al-Assad, one of Hussein's rivals, would actually attend the funeral. On the morning of the funeral, Syrians still had no idea. Then, all of a sudden, the Syrian delegation arrived in the Jordanian capital. Newspapers from around the world had Al-Assad on their front pages. Considering how many world leaders were at the funeral, his face stood out the most because nobody believed he would go.

The wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was just as surprised as others who attended the funeral to see him. According to a story I heard, she was so surprised that he came that she tried to get a glimpse of the President, but his bodyguards kept her away.

Could this be the case once again? If President Al-Assad were to surprise the world with his visit to New York, accompanied by his popular wife, it would send so many signals to those who doubt him. For starters, he could claim that despite the accusations against him, he stood his ground and faced the international world regardless of what other world leaders thought about him. He would also be sending a message to the Syrian opposition in the USA that they shouldn't count their chickens before they have hatched.

Even if Condoleeza Rice decides to isolate him by not inviting him to a meeting of Arab leaders, he could undermine her efforts by meeting with his Arab counterparts before she does. Even if George W. Bush refuses to invite him to an early reception, he could outsmart the world's most powerful man with his professional speaking skills while giving a speech. Everyone knows Bush isn't the best at speeches, but Al-Assad has a tendency to sound like a head of state when he speaks.

I, personally, would be very happy if President Bashar Al-Assad attended this summit with his wife. This may be his chance to state Syria's case before the world. After all, he wasn't so worried when he attended the Pope's funeral in April.

In a previous post, I suggested that there may be a deal between Damascus and Washington. Maybe it is true, maybe it is not. If there is no deal, then I hope the President attends and addresses the General Assembly. Regardless of what Mehlis says, his report won't be coming out for another 40 days and we will never really know the truth anyway. Until then, I hope another surprise is going to be repeated next week.