US Talks with Syrian Opposition Group Divides Dissidents

[Gloria]

New World Media Watch up now at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical
Tomorrow at Buzzflash.com



3//The Daily Star, Lebanon Wednesday, March 30, 2005

http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=1&categ_id=2&article_id=13846



U.S. TALKS WITH SYRIAN OPPOSITION GROUP DIVIDES DISSIDENTS

Some fear Syria lined up for regime change

By Agence France Presse (AFP)

BEIRUT: A State Department reception granted to a small U.S.-based Syrian opposition group last week has divided Syrian dissidents, with some expressing concern that Washington is lining up their country as the next candidate for regime change.



The Reform Party of Syria (RPS) put out a statement in Beirut hailing its meeting Thursday with deputy assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs Elizabeth Cheney which it said had "had a galvanizing effect on the Syrian community as a whole."



"They realized the call for democracy in Syria is a matter being taken seriously at the highest levels of the Bush administration," said the statement.



But the group's readiness to identify so openly with a U.S. administration which enforces unilateral sanctions against Syria was a step too far for several Damascus-based dissidents.



The National Democratic Rally, an alliance of five banned opposition groups, said it opposed anyone "asking foreign parties to overthrow the regime."

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