*This is what I like about the Internet. When you hear foreigners talking to each other when you're not s'posed to be listening.
http://www.brazzilmag.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=12272:syrian-president-compares-obama-to-lula-and-says-brazilian-leader-gets-results-&catid=88:july-2010
Wrapping up his Latin American tour of four countries, Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela and Argentina, (((yeah, they're a jolly bunch, especially Venezuela and Cuba))) Syrian president Bashar al-Assad described the government of US President Barack Obama as 'weak' to ensure a peace process in the Middle East adding he was hopeful of negotiations sponsored by other countries such as Brazil and Turkey.
"When you don't obtain results, you're weak. Our experience with the US is that they don't seem to be able to manage a peace process from the beginning to the end," said al-Assad in an interview with Buenos Aires daily Clarin. (((Well, uh, yeah, that is the voice of experience.)))
The Syrian president praised the recent agreement brokered by Brazil and Turkey for the enrichment of Iranian uranium in Turkish territory, because "it has changed the essential political weight from a few countries in the north such as Europe and the US to others in the world South such as Brazil and Turkey."
(((Yeah, well, I'm waiting for the day when Brazil and Turkey are the honest brokers in American affairs. Imagine there's, like, an American domestic anti-abortion riot, and some Brazilians and Turks show up. To settle the long-simmering American dispute. I dunno. Maybe they'd keep *each other* honest. The very idea of Brazilians and Turks hanging out being chummy is mighty weird.)))
"I'm convinced that the Brazilian and Turkish initiative is the beginning of a cooperation relation South-South," added the Syrian leader who during his visit in Argentina signed with President Cristina Kirchner several agreements on transport, communications, media and culture.
More specifically on the nuclear issue al-Assad said the position of Syria "is to transform the Middle East in a zone free of nuclear weapons" adding that if by any chance an arms race takes off in the area "the nuclear component will become uncontrollable". (((That's cozy. My bet is Brazil gets a nuclear component pretty soon. Just idly speculating. Not like I'm selling them Iranian yellowcake or anything.)))
"Things will reach a limit and that is the risk, the danger. And if Israel continues to be a nuclear power from a military point of view, unfortunately this race will take off some day."
Al-Assad also talked about the large and prosperous Syrian community and praised Argentina for its open arms policy towards immigrants and respect for cultural, ethnic, religious, gender diversity, "a true land of opportunity." (((Unlike, presumably, the untrue lands of opportunity to be found further north.)))
