Intelligence Briefs: Syria

Pope's Visit Evokes Muslim Resentment

The visit of Pope John Paul II to Syria earlier this month stirred considerable resentment and suspicion among Sunni Muslim religious leaders, even the "official" clergy in state-run institutions. The Pope's visit to a mosque that had been a church until the 8th century was widely seen as an affront to Islam in Friday prayers throughout the Syrian capital. Some Muslim leaders even compared it to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's controversial visit to Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem last year, which was explicitly intended to highlight Jewish claims to the holy site. Others said that the cross worn by the Pope inside the mosque was an insult to Islam (according to the Quran, Jesus did not die on the cross.

"History teaches us that Western pilgrimages have covert political motives," alleged Sheikh Said Ramadan al-Bouti, the head of the Beliefs and Religions Department in the Faculty of the Islamic Law at Damascus University.

Syria, Turkey to Cooperate in Military Training

A report in Al-Hayat (London) on May 2 cited diplomatic sources in Damascus as saying that Turkey has offered Syria a proposal for cooperation in military training between the two countries. The proposal was said to have been made during a visit to Turkey last month by Brig. Gen. Mahmoud Ammar, the head of Syrian army's Political Guidance Department. On May 1, Al-Hayat quoted the Turkish ambassador in Damascus, Ahmet Oguz Celikkol as saying that Syria and Turkey have "begun to cooperate in the field of military training."

Celikkol also stated that the two countries are negotiating the terms of a bilateral declaration of principles "organizing the relationship between the two sides." He added that the two sides have resolved their border conflict over the Turkish province of Hatay, which had long been claimed by Syria.

Syria Opens Interests Section in Baghdad

On May 18, Syrian diplomat Muhammad Hassan al-Tawab arrived in Baghdad, to assume his position as head of Syria's newly-opened interests section in the Iraqi capital. Tawab and five diplomatic and administrative assistants will operate from the Algerian embassy in Baghdad. Iraq opened an interests section in Damascus over a year ago, also under Algerian auspices.

The two countries severed relations two decades ago after Syria sided with Iran in its 1980-1988 war against Iraq, but relations have warmed in recent years [See "Syria's Foreign Relations: Iraq," Middle East Intelligence Bulletin, March 2001.]. According to the May 3 issue of Al-Hayat, Syrian President Bashar Assad will soon visit Baghdad.