Posted on 10/19/2004 12:27:00 PM PDT by whershey
The European Union in its seeming eagerness to make as much money as possible off of the mid-east at any cost has signed another agreement with a terrorist state.
This time it's an "Association Agreement" with Syria that will open up more trade with Syria through the creation of a free trade zone with the EU.
According to the EU we shouldn't worry though, this agreement has been hung up for 5 years due to the wording dealing with WMD's. To quote the negotiators:
Syria's was delayed by its reluctance to sign owing to a clause demanding commitment to the nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction that the EU has insisted upon in all such agreements since late 2003.Negotiators wrapped up a deal last month by rewording the clause to satisfy both sides.
EU officials declined to immediately release the exact wording, but issued a statement saying it "includes essential provisions on ... cooperation to counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery."
I need someone to explain to me what there would be to "haggle" about in terms of WMD proliferation. Either want to have them or you don't. I'd love to see the wording of this aspect of the agreement to find out what sort of loophole Syria insisted on to get around the question.
One other aspect of this agreement that I have found interesting is the timing. One of the defenses that France has been using to show their seriousness about the war on terror is the pressure that they and the US have been putting on Syria to move it's troops out of Lebanon. It just so happens that a resolution dealing with that subject was passed by the UN Security Council today. The resolution which France insisted be put to a vote today, is totally toothless and now with the signing of the trade agreement there's no leverage left to get Syria to either move out of Lebanon or rid itself of weapons of mass destruction.
These are the allies that Kerry wants us to work with and the allies that keep showing us what a fool he really is.
I'd love to see the wording of this aspect of the agreement to find out what sort of loophole Syria insisted on to get around the question.
Doesn't much matter. The US is going to be kicking Syria out of Lebanon in 2005 or 2006, and Assad is going to be toast.
Won't pass the "global test". The world will hate us. :-P
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