“So basically, the Iranians are acting like the Israelis — they want peace
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“So basically, the Iranians are acting like the Israelis — they want peace,
and they want to keep the land.”
Other analysts, while conceding any progress would be slow, had
somewhat more positive forecasts on the Syrian front.
[Syria] is a tough one to happen quickly, but at least if they start talking
then it’s a good thing,” said Andrew Hammond, policy fellow at the
European Council on Foreign Relations and author of The Islamic Utopia:
The Illusion of Reform in Saudi Arabia.
“Fundamentally, the chances of the Syrian tragedy being brought to an
end, or the beginning of this disaster being brought to an end, require these
two countries to come to an agreement [...] They are the keys to the
Syrian conflict, so they have to start talking, even though it will take a
long time.”
Accordingly, with little chance of the two reaching agreement on Syria in
the immediate future, the talks may in fact focus on other areas of dispute,
such as Iraq, where a new coalition government is being formed following
parliamentary elections on 30 April.
“The other issue is Iraq, now that the election is over and all the horse-
trading is beginning,” said Hammond. “I wonder whether that actually
may have been the main impetus for this invitation.”
Perhaps the most significant changes resulting from Faisal’s initiative in
the long run, however, will pertain to Saudi itself. Having been “shocked,”
as Hammond put it, by the United States’ decision to pursue warmer ties
with Tehran last year, and initially threatening a “major shift” in its
relations with Washington as a consequence, Riyadh may now be
grudgingly coming to terms with the new order envisaged by President
Obama.
“It does suggest there is a potential for them to reassess the situation and
try and move things forward, find some way of having a new relationship
with the Iranians, given the fact that the Americans clearly want to move
forward, and the smaller Gulf states do as well,” said Hammond.
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