This trick still works??

From the Jerusalem Post: MI Chief: Assad's overtures caused split with Iran, Syria By NINA GILBERT Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash), head of military intelligence. http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1073974797048 Syrian President Bashar Assad's statements about renewing negotiations with Israel have created a rift between Syria and Hizbullah, and between Syria and Iran, OC Intelligence Maj.-Gen. Aharon Ze'evi (Farkash) told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Tuesday. Farkash said the rift in the northern front should be exploited to weaken terror groups. The rift was caused by the outcome of the war in Iraq, US pressure and Israel's air attack on terrorist bases in Syria several months ago. Farkash also said that Bashar Assad, unlike his father, does not demand that Israel withdraw to the 1967 borders before entering into negotiations. The Syrian President is consistent in his statement about renewing negotiations with Israel, Farkash said, despite the negative responses from Israel. "The international criticism of Syria's actions and the pressures the US put on Damascus had borne fruit; Assad realized that in order to survive, he must change his ways," Farkash said at the meeting. However, Farkash said that despite these changes, Damascus is not ending support for terror, including transporting weapons from Iran to Hizbullah. Referring to the ongoing conflict in the territories, Farkash said that Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei has given up any hope of reining in the anarchy in the Palestinian areas. He added that this has further consolidated Yasser Arafat's complete control. "Arafat's power is absolute. Arafat for his part is engaging in a policy of stalling in the hope of possible changes of power in the US and Israel," Farkash said. Farkash said that motivation in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to commit acts of terror is at a peak, but that the military's presence is a decisive factor in preventing attacks. Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman Yuval Steinitz said after the meeting that the Syrian moves are tactical and meant to "save the Syrian dictatorship from the US pressure." MKs Haim Ramon and Ran Cohen (Labor), who attended the closed meeting, said that according to Farkash, Israel should take advantage of the fissure between Syria, Iran and Hizbullah, Ynet reported. MK Cohen said that if Farkash would not recommend Sharon to start negotiations with Syria it would be "a personal omission on his part." Other officials sitting in the committee said that Farkash was "very cautious" in his words and refused to revel his recommendations to Prime Minister Sharon. Farkash revealed that about NIS 7 million a month was being transferred from bank funds in Saudi Arabia, and Israel, for the ongoing funding of Arafat's 'Muqata' headquarters in Ramallah swhitebull

From Debka - so take with a grain of salt: http://debka.com/article.php?aid=765 Turkey prepares to abandon Northern Cyprus: a lesson for Syria? Special report from DEBKAfile`s Washington and Ankara sources January 10, 2004, 5:31 PM (GMT+02:00) No Turkish flags in Cyprus after May Update January 12: Turkish Cypriots form a new government led by Mehmet Ali Talat?s Republican Turkish party which favors UN?s reunification plan Greek Cypriots and others may remain skeptical, but DEBKAfile?s intelligence sources believe Turkey to be genuinely committed to a speedy settlement of the decades-old division of Cyprus. Speed is of the essence because Cyprus is due to join the European Union this May: if the division is healed, and a federation formed, the whole island will join; if Turkey?s protégé, Northern Cyprus, continues to hold out against the federal plan, only the internationally recognized government of Greek Cyprus will join the EU, and the northern Turkish third, which Turkey alone recognizes and supports, will be more isolated than ever. DEBKAfile?s confidence is based on the secret talks that took place this week between Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish prime minister, and Bashar al-Assad, Syria?s president, who was in Ankara for a 3-day state visit. Erdogan told Assad that the Turkish leadership had decided to force Rauf Denktash, the long-time Turkish Cypriot leader, to go along with the plan first put forward by the UN?s secretary-general Kofi Annan in November 2002. This envisages a federation of two constituent parts, with a rotating presidency. Last March talks on this plan collapsed after Denktash held out against it. But Northern Cyprus is entirely dependent on Turkish support, and on the 30,000 Turkish troops that have been stationed there for the 30 years since Turkey invaded the island in 1974. According to DEBKAfile?s sources, Erdogan told Assad that Turkey has decided to withdraw this occupying army after Cyprus joins the EU, thus forcing Denktash?s hand. And, indeed, Turkey has good reason to do so. It is itself an applicant to join the EU at some point, and furthering a peace in Cyprus will advance its case. At a closed-door meeting between Assad, Erdogan and Abdullah Gul, Turkey?s foreign minister, on Wednesday January 7, Erdogan told Assad that the decision, in effect, to stop supporting a semi-independent Turkish enclave was taken at a meeting of Turkey?s National Security Council in late December. Though there was opposition from some military commanders, the council agreed by a large majority. It will meet again on January 23, and will then reveal its ?road map? to peace. The leaders of all four Turkish Cypriot parties have been summoned to Ankara to hear Turkey?s decision. But Debkofile has learnt that, contrary to what Gul told CNN on January 10, Denktash will not be allowed to lead the Turkish-Cypriot delegation to new talks with the Cyprus government on the peace plan. It is being suggested instead that Mustafa Akinci, the leader of the Movement for Democracy and Peace (BDH) chairs the delegation. The link to Golan? Erdogan explained to Assad why he had chosen him to tell such things. No other leader, he said, would understand how painful it was for him to give up Turkish Cyprus, and what huge obstacles he faced in selling this concession to public opinion. ?To give up Cyprus is like giving up part of Turkey itself,? he said. But Gul added: ?If we want to escape from international isolation, we have no other choice.? DEBKAfile learns that, according to the reports that Turkey sent to the US and Israel reporting on this conversation, Assad listened very intently when Erdogan and Gul spoke of the need to give up territory, and explained how to overcome domestic opposition to such measures. He did not make any reply at all. He was more forthcoming when the discussion turned to Turkish-Syrian trade, and Turkey?s proposal to set up a customs point on the border between Syria and Alexandretta. Assad agreed to sign a document of understanding on this, which was tantamount to Syrian recognition of Turkish ownership of the province, giving up Syria?s historic claims. But DEBKAfile believes that the implications of this talk about giving up territory stretch from Alexandretta all the way to Golan. The Turkish leaders, in their report to Jerusalem, were well satisfied with their tactic of talking about giving up Cyprus as a model for what Syria itself might be prepared to give up The message seems to have been absorbed by Israel. Binyamin Netanyahu, Israel?s finance minister, has been talking about the possibility of negotiating with Syria without having to hand back the Golan Heights, or at any rate large chunks of the region. On Saturday, Syria?s semi-official newspaper wrote ?Syria is calling on the US to renew Syrian-Israeli negotiations from the point they stopped in 2000.? Israel?s prime minister, Ariel Sharon, w