Planet.Syriamirror.net - The Syria News Wire

Italy and Syria - friends again?

Sun, 2 Apr 2006 12:27:54 +0300

The elections in Italy are underway - Silvio Berlusconi, George Bush's man in Rome - is being challenged by Romano Prodi, a former Prime Minister, and head of the European Commission.

Prodi has already said that if he wins, he will immediately repair Italy's relationship with Syria: "I have the most sincere feelings of respect and appreciation to Syria as she occupies a distinguished place in addition to her constructive and very important role that contradicts what some media are trying to circulate,” he said.

Italy is one of Syria's oldest European allies, and it has never fittted that Berlusconi was a neo-con-Likudnik.

UN refuses to disarm Hizbollah

Mon, 27 Mar 2006 21:43:53 +0200

The UN has ruled out disarming Hizbollah by force. UN envoy Terje Roed-Larsen says it might not even be possible to force Hizbollah to stop its activities.

Roed-Larsen says it would mean sending soldiers into the south of Lebanon, where even Israel couldn't survive.

Has Khaddam lost his mind - Khaddam accuses Palestinian MP of spying for Israel

Sun, 19 Mar 2006 20:32:52 +0200

Exiled former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam has made more startling revelations. He claims that a Palestinian member of the Israeli Parliament - Azmi Bishara (left) - has spied in Syria for Israel.

The staunch fighter for Palestinian rights recently broke Israeli law by travelling to Damascus for talks.

UN Hariri Inquiry: Syria IS co-operating - and Bashar will be interviewed next month

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 00:47:51 +0200

"The Syrian government has, in particular in the last three months, formally complied with nearly all of the Commission's previous requests for assistance."

In his first report since taking over the UN inquiry into the murder of Rafiq Al-Hariri, Serge Brammertz says Syria is co-operating much more than it was before.

But he includes a warning that he expects more of the same:

"Despite these encouraging steps, it is important to note that the Commission will ultimately judge co-operation of the Syrian authorities on the merits of the information provided and the promptness with which its requests are being accommodated."

And for the first time the UN investigators have revealed that Bashar Al-Assad has agreed to be interviewed next month - Brammertz (below) is likely to travel to Damascus for that.

Building the Syrian blogosphere: Syria Planet

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:17:50 +0200

A group of Syria's most important bloggers have built a site which should give the world a street-level view inside Syria.

Syria Planet automatically republishes every post made by more than a hundred Syrian bloggers.

Ayman Hourieh - one of Syria's first bloggers - is behind the project.

Lebanese leaders agree: the Shebaa Farms are Lebanese

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 00:45:49 +0200

In the most important meeting since the end of the Civil War, Lebanon's leaders have agreed that the Shebaa Farms belong to Lebanon not Syria.

The Shebaa is occupied by Israel.

The Syria News Wire - BANNED

Mon, 13 Mar 2006 14:29:48 +0200

There are reports that The Syria News Wire has been blocked by one Syrian internet company.

Syrian Telecom has apparently taken offence to the content, and stopped its users from accessing this site.

Yazan says it's bringing up a 403-Forbidden message.

America imposes sanctions on the Commercial Bank of Syria

Sun, 12 Mar 2006 22:39:47 +0200

The US has banned all American companies and banks from dealing with Syria.

No American is now allowed to hold an account with the Commercial Bank of Syria, making life difficult for the many US residents in Damascus.

But more importantly, it adds another hurdle for American companies to do business in Syria.

French judges cast doubt on Mehlis investigation

Sun, 5 Mar 2006 20:27:46 +0200

French judges have released one of the Mehlis report's key suspects.

Detlev Mehlis was the former UN investigator into the killing of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri (below: his replacement, Serge Brammertz).

Hizbollah campaigns for the release of Lebanese in Syrian jails

Wed, 1 Mar 2006 23:56:45 +0200

Just weeks after the agreement between Michel Aoun and Hizbollah, the Shia group is demanding the release of 25 Lebanese prisoners being held in Syria.

Ambassadors return to Syria

Sun, 26 Feb 2006 03:27:44 +0200

The Danish Ambassador who left Damascus when the embassy was set alight three weeks ago is on his way back to Syria.

At the time, he said that he wasn't leaving for political reasons, but because Syria wasn't doing enough to guarantee his security.

The Embassy was set on fire by an angry mob protesting at a danish newspaper which published cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed with a bomb on his head.

At that time Denmark advised all of its citizens to leave Syria - very few took the advice.

A year ago US Ambassador Margaret Scooby left Damascus in protest at 'Syria's murder' of Rafiq Al-Hariri.

Syrian opposition says 'no' to US offer of money

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 02:28:43 +0200

Syria's opposition umbrella, the Damascus Declaration, says it wont accept any money from the US.

The bloc, which was signed by some of the country's top opposition leaders (Riyad Sayf (left), Jawdat Said, Samir Al-Nashar, Kurdish groups and civil society advocates), set out their vision for Syria's future late last year, calling for "democratic and radical" change.

Lebanon accuses Syria of hijacking their mobile network

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 23:18:42 +0200

That most precious of Lebanon's natural resources is being attacked by Syria, according to Telecoms Minister Marwan Hamedeh.

Lebanon has the highest mobile usage in the world - more minutes per person than in any other country.

And now Lebanon says Syria wants to get a bite of that apple.

Hamadeh says Syria has pointed its mobile phone masts towards Lebanon, and is selling pre-pay phone cards in shops in Tripoli.

America gives $5 million to the anti-Syrian government opposition - who'll win the prize?

Sun, 19 Feb 2006 15:31:41 +0200

Washington has earmarked $5 for "accelerating the work of reformers". They want to give the cash to opposition groups.

But they might have a hard time finding someone who'll accept their money.

Riad At-Turk (left) has already ruled out working with the Bush government.

Amnesty International: Most Syrians arrested for the Beirut embassy burning weren't even in Beirut at the time

Sat, 18 Feb 2006 02:40:40 +0200

Amnesty International has made the astonishing claim that most of the Syrians accused of involvement in the Beirut riots weren't even in Beirut at the time of the attacks.

It explains the high number of Syrians arrested (138 out of 400).